At last week's RoboBusiness event in Santa Clara, California, technology giant Intel unveiled its latest depth camera for robotics - the D456. As the second dustproof and water-resistant model in Intel's D400 stereo camera line, the USB-interfaced D456 aims to bring enhanced environmental perception to outdoor and industrial robots.

Building on Intel's long-range D455 camera, the ruggedized D456 contains three global shutter image sensors and an inertial measurement unit (IMU). By integrating motion data from the IMU, the camera can refine its depth estimates when moving, enabling robots to navigate more accurately.

With an IP65 rating, the enclosed D456 is fully protected from dust ingress and low-pressure water jets. This makes it well-suited for operation in harsh settings like construction sites and factories where dirt, debris and moisture are often present.

Optimized for depth sensing from 0.6 to 6 meters, the D456 provides highly accurate depth data for objects up to 4 meters away. Intel claims depth precision within 2% at that range, giving robots exceptional spatial awareness of their surroundings.

The D456 connects via a standard USB 3.0 interface, simplifying integration with new and existing robot platforms. Intel's cross-platform RealSense SDK supports access to the camera's video, depth, and IMU streams across many common programming languages.

Priced at $469, the rugged D456 depth camera is now available directly from Intel and authorized distributors. With its durable design and long-range sensing, the D456 will help enable safer, more perceptive navigation for robots operating outdoors or in challenging real-world conditions.

Intel continues to be at the forefront of developing 3D vision solutions for next-generation robotics and automation. The waterproof D456 demonstrates the company's commitment to providing the sensor technologies needed to increase robot awareness and mobility beyond controlled factory environments.

Exploded view of the Intel D456 camera. | Credit: Intel

Other specs of the RealSense D456 depth camera include:

• Depth Field of View: 87° × 58°
• Depth Stream Output Resolution: Up to 1280 × 720
• Depth Stream Output Frame Rate: Up to 90 fps
• RGB Frame Resolution: 1280 × 800
• RGB Frame Rate: 30 fps