Earlier this year, Intel introduced the Curie, a sub-miniature module based on the Quark SE core, which is primarily utilized by the Intel Quark offerings that are designed to be small and power-efficient chips to meet wearable needs. In addition to wearable gadgets, the button-sized chip has found a new home.

During the Marker Faire Rome's Opening Conference, the Intel Curie, a 32-bit SoC clocked at 32 MHz, was announced to be paired with Arduino's upcoming microcontroller board, Arduino 101 (US), which will be branded as Genuino 101 of the United States.

The Curie-Arduino 101 package will have a 384kB flash memory and 80kB of static RAM, Bluetooth using low energy radio, a six-axis gyroscope and accelerometer combo, as well as a DSP sensor hub. The recommended input voltage is 7-12V.

According to Arduino's blog post, its collaboration with Intel is aimed at the providing maker community with a cheaper product for development and learning. Arduino notes that the Arduino 101, fitted with the Curie, is ideal for learning institutions and entry-level makers.

"Empowering budding entrepreneurs and young students has always been a priority for Intel, and by partnering with Arduino, we are bringing the power of Intel to a new generation of makers," said Intel Senior Vice President Josh Walden. 

Furthermore, Arduino revealed that it is currently working to incorporate the 101 into the Creative Technologies in the Classroom (CTC) curriculum, which is also spearheaded by Arduino. The CTC physical computing curriculum is currently adapted by 300 elementary and secondary educational institutions to introduce the basics of electronics, mechanics and programming.

"We worked closely with Intel on the development of this board and are expanding our educational courseware to incorporate the connectivity and advanced features expected by today's student developers," said Massimo Banzi, Arduino co-founder.

The Arduino 101 is going to be commercially available in Q1 2016 with a $30 recommended retail price.