Wrist-worn selfie drone wins $500,000 in Intel competition to build future wearable technology

A wearable camera drone that snaps pictures of the user from afar has won top prize and $500,000 in an international competition organized by Intel.

The Nixie looks like a bulky wristwatch and is aimed primarily at extreme sports enthusiast. Its four flexible bands (each with a propeller at the end) curl around the wrist and release with a sweeping gesture – as if the wearer launched a hawk from their wrist. The drone can then snap pictures or capture video before returning automatically – perfect for activities like mountain biking or climbing where the user’s hands are busy.

The device is powered by Intel’s newly-launched Edison chip – essentially a tiny working computer the size of an SD card that the company hopes will be used by inventors and companies of all sizes to power a range of gadgets and wearables.