Long, long ago the the Kinect came out and it was able to provide 3D imaging for robotics companies at an incredibly good pricepoint compared to everything that came before it. Then the company that made it created a version with just the 3D sensor and that was even better.

But then Apple bought them for what would later become face unlock. Apple wasn't interested in being a component supplier so they discontinued selling sensors to robotics companies and it was a bad time for robotics companies that had incorporated these into their products.

Into this Intel came with RealSense, with better performance in an even smaller form factor. This was really nice. Then Intel released a garbled statement about discontinuing RealSense in 2024 and everybody freaked out. A lot of companies, like the one I was working at, decided this was the time develop and in-house 3D sensor system.

Apparently Intel is spinning them out as an independent company, though, so maybe we don't actually have to worry about Intel losing interest and shutting them down.

https://www.therobotreport.com/intel-spins-out-realsense-as-...