Intel unveils 14-nanometre Atom intended for Internet of Things applications

The Atom, originally designed for netbooks, is now being repurposed for connected devices

Intel has unveiled the latest generation of its Atom microprocessors intended for Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

The Intel Atom E3900 series has been designed from the ground up, the company claims, to take advantage of 14-nanometre process chip manufacturing. It offers 1.7 times the compute power over the previous generation Atom and can support faster memory speeds and greater memory bandwidth.

Intel claims that it is aimed at "edge to cloud network computing".

Ken Caviasca, vice president of Intel's Internet of Things group and general manager of platform engineering and development, added: "Built into a compact flip chip ball grid array (FCBGA) and featuring 14 nanometer silicon technology, the Intel Atom processor E3900 series is perfect for a wide range of IoT applications, where scalable performance, space and power are at a premium."

However, unlike typical low-power consumption parts intended for connected devices, the Intel Atom also offers 3D graphics - improved by 2.9 times compared to the previous Atom generation - and can support three independent displays.

The graphics capabilities reflect the Atom's heritage: it was originally developed to power netbooks - low-cost, stripped down laptops - in the late-2000s. "The E3900 series has four vector image processing units, resulting in better visibility, quality video in low light, noise reduction, and color and detail preservation," added Caviasca.

For many embedded applications, though, the ability to keep devices synchronised via the Intel Time Coordinated Computing feature will be key. "By synchronising clocks inside the system-on-a-chip and across the network, Intel Time Coordinated Computing Technology can achieve network accuracy to within a microsecond," claimed Caviasca.

OEMs that will be working to embed the Atom E3900 series in Internet of Things devices include vehicle parts giant Delphi, FAW, Neusoft and Hikvision.

Intel is playing catch-up in connected devices, after rival Qualcomm stole an early lead, following up its success in mobile and smartphones with a shift into dedicated Internet of Things silicon.