Intel Acquires Basis Science To Expand Effort In Wearable Technologies

When you consider the microprocessor industry, it's safe to say that things have changed in dramatic fashion over the past five to ten years. Intel's lead in the desktop sector has become increasingly less potent as laptops and tablets usurp desktop sales, and the next obvious frontier is an even smaller footprint. Intel has chimed in here and there, noting that it's fully onboard the wearables bandwagon, eager to produce chips that power whatever computing products end up on our faces, our wrists, and our bodies.

But don't just take Intel's word for it -- there's plenty of action to back it all up. This week, the chip giant announced that it had finalized an acquisition of BASIS Science. The company is best known for crafting the Basis band, a fitness and health tracker that works alongside a platform to track vitals and statistics. Intel knows that the wearables game is moving quickly, and this acquisition gives it a hardware arm to toy around with in the R&D lab.


The Basis band will remain on sale and supported, but Intel's going to use the talent behind it to further its own efforts in the space. Here's a key point direct from Intel: "Intel is actively pursuing a range of products and initiatives with the goal of accelerating wearable device innovation. The company's strategy is to create wearable reference devices, SoCs and other technology platforms ready to be used by customers in development of wearable products."

Specific plans are being (unsurprisingly) kept under wraps, but the Basis team will start working with Intel scientists right away on "future wearable initiatives." Intrigued yet?