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Server increases node density for 5G, IoT and edge applications

Mon, Feb 21, 2022

Short depth, multi-node servers have been designed and optimised by Supermicro for 5G, IoT, and edge applications. The SuperEdge server is suitable for environments where high-density compute and I/O are required in a small form factor, for example, on-site in retail or branch offices, or field locations such as at the base of cell towers or high traffic areas.

The SuperEdge uses a third generation Intel Xeon Scalable processor in each node to deliver data centre processing power at the edge to accelerate analysis and real-time application functionality. The server increases node density by 50 per cent over previous application-optimised servers for 5G, IoT, and Edge workloads, said Supermicro. Customers can start with a single server and add additional ones as demand increases.

“The SuperEdge server increases the compute and I/O densities for edge applications and enables operators to increase system workloads and data processing performed at the edge, reducing network traffic back to data centres,” said Charles Liang, president, and CEO, Supermicro. “Designing application-tuned servers for both the edge and the cloud optimises the deployment of network computing, as we move to the metaverse,” he added.

The Supermicro SuperEdge server is designed to fit in small data centres or environments where server depth is critical. It has a depth of just 430mm and GPUs (graphics processing units) may also be installed, giving the Supermicro SuperEdge the ability to perform AI calculations at the edge of the network, increasing decision-making capabilities and reducing response times.

The nodes and I/O connections are accessible from the front, allowing quick maintenance when needed. The server will operate across a temperature range of -5 to +55 degrees C and is suitable for a range of humidity and other environmental conditions. It can therefore be installed where there is no climate controlled setting without increasing opex (operating expenditure). Redundant power supplies and cooling fans enable the SuperEdge server to operate in harsh conditions outside of a traditional data centre.

Each of the three hot-swappable nodes can accommodate three PCIe 4.0 slots, which enable a range of add-on cards that accelerate applications designed for edge computing. The server’s I/O density allows for multiple acceleration cards, including networking, FPGA, DPU, eASIC and TimeSync options. Each node can accommodate up to 2Tbyte of DDR4 DRAM. This allows more extensive and more complex applications to be installed and executed than previously available, added the company.

http://www.supermicro.com

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STMicroelectronics integrates AI to MEMS sensors

Fri, Feb 18, 2022

Signal processing and AI algorithms have been combined in MEMS (micro electromechanical systems) sensors by STMicroelectronics. The Intelligent Sensor Processing Unit (ISPU) injects local decision-making while substantially saving space and power, says the company.

The ISPU combines a digital signal processor (DSP) able to run AI algorithms and a MEMS sensor on the same silicon. In addition to a reduction in size, compared to system-in-package devices, the ISPU is also claimed to cut power by up to 80 per cent. Merging sensor and AI puts electronic decision-making at the edge, said ST, where products enabled by smart sensors are able to sense, process, and take actions, in what has been called the Onlife Era, fusing technology and the physical world.

The Onlife Era acknowledges living with continuous assistance from connected technologies, enjoying natural, transparent interactions, and seamless transitions, with no discernible distinction between online and offline, ST explained. The ISPU allows the migration of intelligent processing into sensors that support the fabric of life, or as ST puts it: no longer at the edge but in the edge.

The proprietary low power DSP can be programmed in C, a language familiar to many engineers. It also allows quantised AI sensors to support full- to single-bit-precision neural networks. This ensures superior accuracy and efficiency in tasks such as activity recognition and anomaly detection by analysing inertial data, said ST.

“While technically challenging, integrating ST’s sensors on the same piece of silicon with our ISPU does improve sensor-based systems from an online experience to an Onlife one,” said Andrea Onetti, executive vice president, MEMS Sub-Group, at STMicroelectronics.

“It advances the sensor’s features to speed decision-making by reducing data transfers, enhancing privacy by keeping data local, while reducing size and power consumption, which cuts costs,” he added.

“Moreover, the ISPU is easily programmable with commercial AI models and can ultimately operate with all of the leading AI tools.”

ST’s proprietary, C-language-programmable DSP is an enhanced 32-bit RISC (reduced instruction set computing) machine. It is extensible (in the chip-design phase) for dedicated instructions and hardware components. The processor offers a full precision floating point unit, uses a fast four-stage pipeline, operates from 16-bit variable-length instructions, and includes a single-cycle 16-bit multiplier. Interrupt response is four cycles.

ST’s sensors with ISPUs will be packaged in standard 3.0 x 2.5 x 0.83mm packages and will be pin compatible with earlier models available from the company, for ease of upgrades.

ST also claims that combining the sensor and ISPU save five to six time power saving compared with system-in-package approaches in sensor-fusion applications. They also show a two to three times saving in Run mode.

http://www.st.com

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Avnet Silica broadens IoT with LoRaWAN gateways from Miromico

Fri, Feb 18, 2022

Secure and robust LoRaWAN networking gateways from Miromico meet the needs of wide selection of IoT applications, says Avnet Silica. The distributor offers the Microsoft Azure Sphere-enabled gateways that can be used in IoT for retail, agricultural, smart buildings and smart cites.

Microsoft Azure Sphere enables the monitoring, tracking and management of data in almost every environment from buildings to factories, in hospitals, in agricultural and retail applications and in smart cities. Integrating the platform from qiio, the Miromico gateways support cellular, Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity and are also claimed to provide easy deployment and automatic management.

The LoRaWAN RF communications technology enables devices scattered across large areas to wirelessly connect to the internet, to enable organisations to deploy IoT solutions at a much lower cost than can be achieved via existing cellular infrastructure, said Miromico. For example, they can be used for monitoring weather or tracking sensors, asset management, controlled automation and climate control.

According to Avnet Silica, the Azure Sphere platform ensures safety from the risk of cyber-attacks by providing multiple layers of security to help guard the gateways against threats. It can also be deployed in a flexible way to secure existing equipment as well as building protection into new IoT infrastructure development. In addition, error reporting and automatic security update services help users stay ahead of current and evolving threats.

The platform also provides guaranteed maintenance for the gateways throughout their operating lifetime, automatically handling security maintenance tasks, such as the daily authentication of hardware and software. Close integration between the platform and the Miromico gateway hardware enables a failsafe mechanism for over the air (OTA) updates, continued the company, allowing customers to remotely upgrade gateways without fear of them becoming unreachable due to a glitch during the update.

Avnet Silica is the European semiconductor specialist division of Avnet and acts as the smart connection between customers and suppliers. The distributor simplifies complexity by providing creative solutions, technology and logistics support. Avnet Silica is a partner of leading semiconductor manufacturers and has a team of more than 200 application engineers and technical specialists to support projects from the idea stage, to the concept, to production. Avnet Silica is a regional business unit of Avnet, with European headquarters in Belgium.

http://www.avnet-silica.com

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Aurelion validates autonomous vehicle sensors in virtual test drives

Thu, Feb 17, 2022

High resolution visualisation in the Aurelion sensor simulation suite allows functions for autonomous driving to be tested and validated. Developed by dSpace, it can be operated either in the cloud or locally. It generates photo-realistic images in real time for camera simulation. It uses ray tracing to create an exact environment for radar and lidar simulation. Developers can use Aurelion to validate algorithms for autonomous driving by means of simulation during virtual test drives, long before a prototype hits the road, advised dSpace.

The simulation can be used throughout all phases of the development process, for example, software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, or simultaneous validation in the cloud. Aurelion supports the development of functionalities and training data based on AI, including neural network training and testing.

A powerful 3-D rendering engine, high-precision dSpace simulation models and realistic 3-D assets, such as pedestrians or vehicles, enable accurate simulation of sensors, environments, weather conditions, light conditions (day, night), and materials, said dSpace. Developers can simulate a wide range of scenarios and test corner cases that very rarely occur in real test drives.

Aurelion draws on an extensive library of sensor models that is always updated, said the company, allowing new sensors to be replicated in simulation solutions long before they are launched on the market. dSpace has entered into co-operation agreements with leading sensor manufacturers and is continuously expanding its collaboration with developers of camera, lidar, and radar technologies. There is also the option of integrating third-party sensor models.

Aurelion bundles functionalities from dSpace MotionDesk and SensorSim into one single product, and also provides extended functionalities and more precision in the field of sensor simulation. In combination with other dSpace tools, such as the ASM simulation models, the VEOS simulation platform, and ModelDesk for parameterisation, dSpace said it provides an end-to-end solution for testing and validating the autonomous vehicle stack.

dSpace provides simulation and validation solutions worldwide for developing connected, autonomous, and electrically powered vehicles. The company’s range is used by automotive manufacturers and their suppliers to test the software and hardware components in new vehicles before a new model is allowed on the road. As well as vehicle development, the company works with engineers in aerospace and industrial automation.

The company is headquartered in Paderborn, Germany and serves customers through regional dSpace companies in the USA, the UK, France, Japan, China, Croatia, and South Korea.

http://www.dspace.de

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Server increases node density for 5G, IoT and edge applications

STMicroelectronics integrates AI to MEMS sensors

Avnet Silica broadens IoT with LoRaWAN gateways from Miromico

Aurelion validates autonomous vehicle sensors in virtual test drives

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