Intel Demonstrates "Talking" Cars

An interesting demo at Intel’s booth was an LED based communications system for cars. Intel demonstrated the idea of sending data via the LED lights currently used by cars for headlights and taillights. By modulating the frequency of the LED light, data can be sent to a basic receiver located either on a car or other device. Since modulating the LED frequencies and capturing it remotely are all technologies that are currently available off the shelf, the cost of implementing the system is low.

Intel gave a few examples of how this system could be used. Say the car in front of yours with this system in place applied its breaks (hence illuminating the LED brake lights), data embedded in those lights can be sent to your car and processed by an onboard computer (powered by an Intel Atom, of course). The computer could then either warn you that the car in front of you is slowing down or even apply the brakes for you.

Another example given was your car communicating with a drive-through window at a fast food restaurant. As you approach the drive through, you car’s computer can pull up the menu and you can order your items directly from your car.

Intel says they are currently working out some of the kinks and talking to automotive manufacturers to gain support for the system.

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  • Zoomer - Saturday, January 24, 2009 - link

    To be fair, the eee isn't 1.2lb like the sony is.

    Would probably make a difference in their overstuffed handbags.
  • VooDooAddict - Friday, January 9, 2009 - link

    Netbooks are slow. Even these $500-$900 units being toted here.

    People are usually willing to take 2 out of 3. I'll take slow, portable, and cheap. but not slow, portable, and expensive. Netbooks have a perfect niche under $400.

    I've got an Acer Aspire One it's perfect... for $300. If I had paid $500+ for this kind of performance I'd feel robbed.

    To even get a glance $900 that Sony for $900 needs a dual core Atom and 2gb of ram.
  • JonnyDough - Saturday, January 10, 2009 - link

    Netbooks aren't THAT slow. A modern netbook could run Windows 95 fantastically. They can even handle XP ok. But Vista + Atom = slow, no. You simply can't run Vista with the current Atom lineup.
  • aeternitas - Sunday, January 11, 2009 - link

    I hope you mean Windows 2000. There is no reason to run Win95 on anything anymore. We have light distros of Linux for hardware that slow with way more functionality and compatibility.
  • JonnyDough - Monday, January 12, 2009 - link

    You'd be an idiot to run Windows 95 on anything connecting to the internet. My point was that Vista cannot run on crap hardware.
  • OCedHrt - Friday, January 9, 2009 - link

    I believe Microsoft's dev team has released an unsupported driver that allowed the wireless NICs under Windows to be emulated, allowing you to link an emulated wireless with any of the free Wireless AP software that is available today.

    Also, many MB manufacturer's who have the wifi cards also bundle it Wireless AP software.
  • strikeback03 - Friday, January 9, 2009 - link

    Or, verify that the hotel actually does not allow multiple devices to use the same MAC. I accidentally found that our network (with MAC filtering) at work does not care if two systems use the same MAC address.

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