INTEL PUSH TOWARDS IT INNOVATION 15/10/2004

With the recent opening of the new Intel Innovation Centre in Swindon, What Laptop was lucky enough to sit down for a chat with Intel’s Global Director of IT Innovation, Martin Curley, to further discuss Intel’s concepts behind the scheme.

As the name suggests, technology Innovation is the watchword for Intel’s new development centre, but with such a word being fairly non-specific, we were curious as to exactly what Intel’s main intention is with this centre. According to Mr. Curley, Intel are looking at moving towards a world where IT can work as a fully functioning worldwide system, and they see centres like this as being the way forwards. By taking the simple approach of learning from mistakes and successes of the past, Intel plan to combine new and old technology, and push technological limitations far beyond their boundaries.

Vice President of IT for Intel, Doug Busch, summed up the Innovation Centre as “A think tank for ideas and innovations. Not an academic or theoretical environment, but one driven by real-world applications”. To further this aim, the Swindon base will incorporate prototyping labs, as well as showcase facilities for providing feedback and constructive criticism on new technology from around the globe.

With an Innovation Centre already in place in California, each location is set up to focus on regional-specific themes, related to market opportunities. To this end, the Swindon centre will primarily be concerned with – but not restricted to – technology directly relevant to the digital home/office, mobile workforce abilities, and wireless technology.

Success has already accompanied Intel’s recent project with Westminster City Council, to make the borough a wireless zone. With CCTV and noise monitoring equipment operating wirelessly, Mr. Curley told us that CCTV costs have already dropped by 80 percent in the borough, and have enabled quicker detection and response to crime. With plans to move further into the healthcare field, Intel is already helping hospitals around the world, with its use of wireless laptops and Tablet PC’s.

By developing new technology in such Innovation Centres, Intel plans to explore new avenues of expertise, and simultaneously create more demand for its products. Not only focusing on the business market, these advances are aimed to benefit the home user on an equal level. By pushing new technology past the small group of early adopters, and directly towards the mainstream, Intel hope to increase IT awareness and hit its systemic targets.

Only time will tell how successful such a scheme will be, and Intel isn’t planning on straying too far from its silicon processor roots. However, with success already behind it, we may be about to see a more wireless world, with the Intel logo behind it.

Contact:
www.intel.com