Intel has apparently ended efforts to drive its x86 architecture into microcontroller-class chips and end nodes on the Internet of Things. Analysts generally applauded the move, although they noted it reflects in part on a market for wearables that has not emerged as fast as predicted.

Multiple reports said Intel has ended sales of Currie and other IoT boards using its Quark processors. However, the company did not directly respond to questions about Quark, a stripped down x86 chip CEO Brian Krzanich announced in his first keynote at the company’s annual developer conference.

As recently as last August, Intel presented a paper describing its D2000, a 32-bit x86 processor that consumed as little as 35 milliwatts in active mode. At the time the engineer describing the device at Hot Chips said Intel had plans “to scale [Quark] from MCUs to right below the Atom X1000 for Linux with lots of implementation options in cores and SoCs.”

At one time, Intel fielded as many as three Quark chips — the SE, D2000 and D1000. All were spins of the original synthesized Pentium-class core Krzanich announced in 2013 as a 32nm part, one-fifth the size and one-tenth the power of Intel’s Atom core.

Intel rolled out several IoT boards using Quark chips, including several compatible with Arduino starting in October 2013.

“IoT remains an important growth business for Intel and we are committed to IoT market segments that access, analyze and share data. These include retail, industrial, automotive and video, which will drive billions of connected devices,” the spokesman said, suggesting the company will focus on Atom-based gateways as its new low end.

“Intel tried to take the x86 everywhere but the MCU business is not amenable to Intel’s business model of high margins and volumes and they had no second sources for the modules,”

Krewell and others said Quark may continue as a block in future SoCs, but it is not likely to appear as a standalone chip. Lack of influence over the software stack in IoT end nodes shouldn’t have a big impact for Intel, said Linley Gwennap, principal of market watcher The Linley Group.

Intel’s flirtation with the maker community appears to have fizzled out, although the chip giant insists its passion remains.

After announcing plans to axe its Edison, Galileo, and Joule compute modules later this year, Chipzilla has said it will stop making its Arduino 101 board and its much-hyped Curie module, too.

The Arduino 101 will be available for order until September 17, 2017, according to Intel, and the processor giant will continue to fulfill orders, if any, through December 17, 2017. The Curie module will be available until January 17, 2018, and fulfillment will continue until July 17, 2018.

Intel will no longer update its Curie Open Developer Kit. It plans to leave its community forum for Curie products open until September 15, 2017.

This looks like the end of the road for Intel’s brief foray into the “maker market”. Reader [Chris] sent us in a tip that eventually leads to the discontinuation notice (PCN115582-00, PDF) for the Arduino 101 board. According to Intel forum post, Intel is looking for an alternative manufacturer. We’re not holding our breath.

We previously reported that Intel was discontinuing its Joule, Galileo, and Edison lines, leaving only the Arduino 101 with its Curie chip still standing. At the time, we speculated that the first wave of discontinuations were due to the chips being too fast, too power-hungry, and too expensive for hobbyists. Now that Intel is pulling the plug on the more manageable Arduino 101, the fat lady has sung: they’re giving up on hardware hackers entirely after just a two-year effort.

A dress using Intel Curie accelerometer on TinyTILE and its small form factor to control colors of the optical fibers with arm movements.

Short Description: tinyTILE is an Intel® Curie™ module based board measuring approx 35 x 26mm.

tinyTILE has solderable holes (standard 40-mil holes on a 0.1” pitch on either side of the board, and two placed on the third side next to the Bluetooth antenna)
I/O connections have the same names and functions as the Arduino/Genuino 101 board

tinyTILE has a micro-USB connector and may be powered and programmed using the Arduino IDE*, Intel® Curie™ Open Developer Kit (ODK), or Anaren Atmosphere*

tinyTILE is an Intel® Curie™ module based board measuring approx 35 x 26mm.

It can be programmed using the Arduino IDE*, Intel’s own software – Intel® Curie™ Open Developer Kit (ODK), or Anaren Atmosphere* – a cloud-based ecosystem that offers a complete end-to-end IoT solution. Each of these environments provide unlimited development possibilities with the tinyTILE.

tinyTILE features the Intel Curie module, a low-power compute module that comes with motion sensors, Bluetooth® Low Energy, and pattern matching capabilities for learning and analysis of sensor data. This enables quick and easy identification of actions and motions. tinyTILE is a complete low-power solution designed for use in wearable devices and rapid prototyping. The Intel Curie module offers features that are ideal for “always-on” applications requiring motion monitoring, wireless capabilities, low power and small size.

tinyTILE is an Intel® Curie™ module based board, a miniaturised adaptation of the Arduino/Genuino 101 board, measuring approx 35 x 26mm.

Mfg Part No: TINYTILE
Price: €36.5

The Arduino/Genuino 101 is a learning and development board which contains the Intel® Curie™ Module, designed to integrate the core’s low power-consumption and high performance with the Arduino’s ease-of-use. The 101 adds Bluetooth Low Energy capabilities and has an on-board 6-axis accelerometer/gyroscope, providing exciting opportunities for building creative projects in the connected world.

This is a derivative wikit program for you to control arduino 101 neuron A.I. function with simply drag and drop

Arduino 101 is a hardware powered by intel which could achieve A.I. by neuron learning. With this program, we can simply programming the most advanced A.I. with simple drag and drop in IPAD

wikit-arduino101
https://github.com/wikitIDE/wikit-arduino101

a program to let you program arduino101 with A.I. function visually on iPAD with wikitIDE

Intel Quark™ D2000 Microcontroller is a low-power, battery-operated, 32-bit microcontroller with a more robust instruction set than other entry-level microcontrollers.

Within its small footprint, the Intel Quark microcontroller D2000 includes an ultra-low-power core running at 32MHz. It also includes 32k integrated flash, 8KB OTP memory, and 8KB SRAM.

It is interoperable with other Intel®-based systems—simplifying integration of edge products in end-to-end IoT architectures. More can be handled at the device level, reducing the need for more costly and potentially unnecessary gateways, depending on the application.

If you take a head of romaine lettuce and eat all but the bottom 25mm/1inch, then place the cut-off stem in a bowl of water and leave it in the sun, something surprising happens. The lettuce slowly regrows. Give it a few nutrients and pay close attention to optimum growing conditions, and it regrows rather well.

This phenomenon caught the attention of [Evandromiami], who developed a home-made deep water culture hydroponic system to optimise his lettuce yield. The lettuce grows atop a plastic bucket of water under full spectrum grow lights, while an Intel Curie based Arduino 101 monitors and regulates light levels, humidity, temperature, water level, and pH. The system communicates with him via Bluetooth to allow him to tweak settings as well as to give him the data he needs should any intervention be required. All the electronics are neatly contained inside a mains power strip, and the entire hydroponic lettuce farm lives inside a closet.

Lettuce For Life – Arduino 101 Based Automated Controller for Hydroponics, Aeroponics, Aquaponics, Etc. Intel Curie
http://www.instructables.com/id/Lettuce-for-Life-Arduino-101-Based-Automated-Contr/