Alif launches Ensemble AI microcontrollers with application kits
Alif Semiconductor has launched its Ensemble 32bit ARM-based AI multicore microcontrollers into distribution with an edge AI application kit.
The Alif Ensemble AI microcontrollers and fusion processors integrate an ARM Ethos U55 microNPU next to an ARM M55 CPU core, with single and dual core options. Triple- and quad-core fusion processors add Cortex-A32 CPUs to enable high-level operating systems such as Linux. Compatibility of architecture across the line ensures software re-use from low-end projects to high-end projects.
Alif’s aiPM technology extends battery life by automatically powering on only what is needed, when needed across the entire device for the most efficient solutions.
The first Ensemble devices sampled to lead customers at the end of 2021 but is now in distribution with the application board.
One microNPU with one CPU core can run an object detection model that reduces inference time by 74x compared to using its CPU core alone. Each object detection inference consumed only 0.27 mJ, which is also two orders of magnitude less than typical MCUs.
The Alif CPU core already provides a 10x AI/ML performance increase when compared to the core used in traditional MCUs, the total performance uplift reaches 740x.
“Early on we saw a huge gap in the market,” said Mark Rootz, VP Marketing, Alif Semiconductor. “There are many Edge ML applications that require 50 to 250 GOPs to become useful. Typical 32bit MCUs can’t come close to that performance level, so to find a solution developers had to jump all the way to GPU-based accelerators at about the 1000 GOPs level which is extreme overkill in terms of power, size, cost, and complexity. Only Alif fills this gap in the middle. This is the sweet spot for battery-powered products on the Edge.”
The designs include an isolated portion of the chip manages a strict security policy throughout its entire lifecycle. Application code and machine learning models are safe from IP theft through robust readout prevention, plus code originality and integrity are preserved to prevent malware attacks. Secret and private data on the device and over communication channels are shielded from malicious access by means of extensive cryptography.
Alif is introducing an Application Kit development board specifically targeting Edge AI applications. These minimize the time needed to bring up and benchmark performance and power efficiency of machine learning models using live data collected from the camera and many other sensors on the board. This AI/ML AppKit and Ensemble devices are available to order from distributors today.
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