“One of the areas we identified as an essential area of interest was things that kids play with…and that led us to think about toys as a new category as a peripheral for computers.”Īround this same time, Mattel was looking to counteract the erosion of its toy consumers to video games. “My team was trying to understand how computing in the home could be useful away from the computer,” recounts D’Hooge. Ironically, one of the toys produced offered an early look at today’s perceptual computing concept. Today, it’s RealSense 3D cameras and perceptual computing, but back then the connected toy offered a unique new usage for families and children. Herman D’Hooge initially managed Intel’s side of Smart Toy LabĪccording to Herman D’Hooge, who managed the Smart Toy Lab initially, Intel was (and still is) constantly looking for ways to extend the use of the personal computer in the home.

Aiming to combine the technology and innovation around computing at Intel with the toy-design expertise of Mattel, the joint venture became the birthplace of several “smart” toys under the Intel Play brand. and Intel Corporation went beyond collaborating on devices the two companies actually created a startup and gave it a brand of its own. In the late 1990s Intel and Mattel forged a unique relationship that led to a series of connected toys, which also provides some interesting insight into early thinking around smart toys and user experience. But hearts full of love and desire to show how much is needed to be discovered still.With the North American International Toy Fair set to begin next week and speculation building around a Google-Mattel announcement ahead of the show, few people may recall an earlier partnership between Silicon Valley and the venerable toy company. And it's not money, marketing or vanity which drives us. But no worry, there is thousands of small people who are united throughout the world to bring better tomorrow. I like this microscope a lot, it's a sign of era when everything was possible and even such huge corporations like intel tried to find ways to impress children with digital marvels, to inspire them to discover the world and encourage them to change it for good. If there will be any life in this thread, I could post some instructions and files how to bring qx3 to life. As for worn out gears, it easily could be fitted with 3d printed ones.

To me to make it shine, this scopes need to be upgraded with modern camera module. digital blue never managed to update intel native softwave, so basically you have to use 20 years old program. Last time I used this scopes was win7 times. I own intel qx3 and digital blue qx7, which is essentially the same, qx7 is just much cheaper version.

Qx5 microscope archive