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Arm extends ML processors to include AI in mobile and home devices

Thu, Oct 24, 2019

Two mainstream machine learning (ML) processors, have been introduced by Arm, together with the latest Mali graphics and display processors.

The Ethos-N57 and Ethos-N37 neural processing units (NPUs) enable artificial intelligence (AI) applications and balancing ML performance with cost, area, bandwidth, and battery life constraints.

The Mali-G57 graphics processing unit (GPU) is the first mainstream Valhall architecture-based GPU and the Mali-D37 display processing unit (DPU) which delivers a rich display feature set within the smallest area, claims Arm. The DPU is intended for entry-level devices and small display screens, adds Arm.

The Ethos-N57 and Ethos-N37 NPUs enable truly heterogeneous computing, claims Arm.

They are additions to the ML processor family, including the earlier Ethos-N77. The suite of products designed to solve complex AI and ML compute challenges, and for consumer devices, they are optimised for cost- and battery life-sensitive designs, adds Arm.

Both the Ethos-N57 and Ethos-N37 are optimised to support Int8 and Int16 datatypes, with data management techniques to minimise data movement and associated power. There is a 200 per cent performance improvement compared with other NPUs, through techniques such as Winograd implementation, according to Arm.

The Ethos-N57 is designed to provide a balance of ML performance and power efficiency. It is optimised for two Tera operations per second (TOPS) ML performance range.

The Ethos-N37 is claimed to provide the smallest footprint ML inference processor (less than 1mm²). It is optimised for one TOPS ML performance range.

The Mali-G57 GPU brings intelligent and immersive user experiences – such as high-fidelity gaming, console-like graphics on mobile, 4K/8K user interfaces on DTVs, and more complex augmented and virtual reality workloads – to the mainstream.

The Mali-G57 includes 1.3x better performance density across a range of content compared to the Mali-G52 and 1.3x improvements in energy efficiency leading to longer battery life, reports Arm.

Foveated rendering support for virtual reality (VR) and 60 per cent better on-device ML performance for more complex xR workloads.

The Mali-D37 DPU has an area efficiency which is configurable to an area of less than 1mm² on 16nm for Full HD and 2K resolutions.

It offers system power savings of up to 30 per cent through offloading core display tasks from the GPU and memory management features, including MMU-600.

http://www.arm.com

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Monolithic thin-film image sensor boosts SWIR range

Tue, Oct 22, 2019

Holding out the promise for high-resolution applications in surveillance, biometric identification, virtual reality, research, and industrial automation, a thin-film monolithic image sensor developed by Imec captures light in the near-infrared (NIR) and short-wavelength infrared (SWIR).

Based on a monolithic approach, the process promises an order of magnitude gain in fabrication throughput and cost compared to processing today’s conventional infrared imagers, while enabling multi-megapixel resolution, claims Imec. It means that the use of infrared imagers can be extended to surveillance, biometric identification, virtual reality, machine vision and industrial automation.

Conventionally, infrared image sensors are produced through a hybrid technology of the crystalline semiconductor detector and the electronic readout fabricated separately and then interconnected at pixel or chip periphery level. This is an expensive and time-consuming process with low throughput. Sensors have a restricted resolution that often requires cooling to reduce the signal noise under dark conditions.

Imec’s infrared imagers consist of a novel thin-film photodetector pixel stack based on quantum dots deposited directly on top of an electronic readout. They are manufactured in a monolithic process compatible with wafer-based mass production, confirms Imec. The pixels embed newly developed high-performance, low bandgap, quantum dot materials that match or surpass the performance of inorganic light absorbers. The stacks can be tuned to target a spectrum from visible light up to two-micron wavelength. Test photodiodes on silicon substrate achieve an external quantum efficiency above 60 per cent at 940nm wavelength and above 20 per cent at 1450nm, allowing for uncooled operation with dark current comparable to commercial InGaAs photodetectors.

The prototype imager has a resolution of 758 x 512 pixels and five-micron pixel pitch.

“This result opens up many new applications for thin-film imagers,” commented Pawel Malinowski, imec’s thin-film imagers program manager. “Our imagers could be integrated in next-generation world-facing smartphone cameras coupled with eye-safe light sources, enabling compact sensing modules for augmented reality. In inspection, they could be used for food or plastics sorting, and in surveillance for low-light cameras with better contrast. Additionally, by enabling feature distinction in bad weather or smoke conditions, one can envision firefighting applications and, in the future, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS),” he added.

http://www.imec-int.com

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Nordic introduces Bluetooth 5.1 SoC for multi-protocol applications

Tue, Oct 22, 2019

Temperature-qualified, the nRF52833 SoC joins Nordic’s nRF52 series. The multi-protocol SoC includes a Bluetooth 5.1 Direction Finding-capable radio for low power Bluetooth Low Energy, Thread, Zigbee, and 2.4GHz proprietary wireless connectivity. It is qualified for operation across a -40 to +105 degrees C temperature range.

The nRF52833 features a powerful 64MHz 32bit Arm Cortex-M4 processor with a floating-point unit (FPU) and includes 512kbyte of flash and 128kbyte of RAM, suitable for use in commercial and industrial wireless applications including professional lighting, asset tracking, smart home products, wearables, and gaming.

The SoC’s memory capacity also supports a dynamic multi-protocol capability, suitable for applications such as professional lighting where concurrent Bluetooth Low Energy and Bluetooth mesh, Thread or Zigbee support enables provisioning, commissioning, and interaction with a lighting mesh network from a smartphone using Bluetooth Low Energy. The temperature range also enables the nRF52833 to operate in professional lighting applications which typically feature elevated ambient temperatures, adds Nordic.

The nRF52833’s radio is capable of all Bluetooth 5.1 Direction Finding features and its memory can support both receiver and transmitter roles for angle-of-arrival (AoA) and angle-of-departure (AoD) applications. Direction Finding enables positioning applications that not only rely on received signal strength indication (RSSI) but also the signal direction. Applications include real-time location systems (RTLS) and indoor positioning systems (IPS).

The nRF52833 includes full-speed USB, high-speed SPI, and +8dBm output power. The increased output power together with Bluetooth 5 technology’s long-range (LoRa) feature enables the nRF52833 to be used in smart home applications.

The SoC includes up to 42 general-purpose I/Os (GPIOs) and a range of analogue and digital interfaces such as an NFC-A Tag, ADC, UART, SPI, TWI, PWM, I2S, and PDM. Additionally, a two-stage LDO voltage regulator and a DC/DC converter with a 1.7 to 5.5V input supply range allows the nRF52833 SoC to be powered by coin cells, rechargeable batteries, or the on-chip USB.

The nRF52833 is supported by the S113 or S140 SoftDevices, Nordic’s Bluetooth RF protocol stacks. The S140 is a qualified Bluetooth 5.1 stack and includes support for 2Mbits per second throughput, Bluetooth LoRa and improved coexistence through Channel Selection Algorithm #2.

The nRF5 SDK for Mesh and nRF5 SDK for Thread and Zigbee are scheduled for release in Q4 2019.

An nRF52833 development kit is for Bluetooth LE, Bluetooth mesh, 802.15.4, Thread, Zigbee, and 2.4GHz proprietary applications running on the nRF52833 SoC. It is compatible with the Arduino Uno Rev3 standard.

The SoC will be made available in three packages: a 7.0 x 7.0mm aQFN73 with 42 GPIOs, a 5.0 x 5.0mm QFN40 with 18 GPIOs and a 3.2 x 3.2mm wlCSP with 42 GPIOs.

nRF52833 engineering samples are available now with volume production due Q4, 2019.

http://www.nordicsemi.com

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Receiver antennae wirelessly transfer power for EVs

Tue, Oct 22, 2019

Wireless charging for electric vehicles (EVs) is possible, says Premo, as it launches the WC-RX-Series of receiver antennae (secondary coil).

The antennae provide a flexible magnetic core combining flex-ferrite blocks with PBM (soft-polymer bonding magnetic).

Initially handling 3kW to 11kW, the company announced that a 22kW version will be available soon.

Currently, the market for hybrid and electric vehicles is growing fast. These are alternative and improved solutions to common internal combustion engine vehicles to reduce global pollution, especially in terms of CO2 emissions or other NOx pollutants and other thin particles that are toxic for our health and endanger our planet.

The EV market is driving the demand for more convenient and reliable means to recharge the onboard battery. Most of the motorised EVs have a plug for direct AC or DC slow or fast charging, explains Premo.

Wireless power transfer (WPT) requires no physical contact between the vehicle and the charging station, offering convenience and avoiding the hazards caused by traditional direct-conductive methods.

The challenge is to replace the conductive charging method with WPT technology while maintaining a comparable power level and efficiency. The long-term goal is to dynamically power the moving vehicles on the road, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) on a factory floor and/or autonomous robots and forklifts in a warehouse.

This may lead to a significant size reduction in battery packs and extended driving range while also addressing the cost of batteries and range anxiety.

For the past three years, Premo has been investing in inductive components design applying both the 3DPower concept (for the magnetics involved in WPT) and the Alma concept (for long-range antennae using flex-magnetic core).

A team of scientists from Madrid’s CSIC (Superior Council of Scientific Research), researchers of UPM (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid), Andaltec (Instituto Andaluz del Plástico) and a team of materials scientists and technologists at Premo’s Innovation Center in Malaga have developed a technology aimed at inductive WPT in the range of 90kHz. This technology deals with the limits of conventional ferrite cores that are both fragile and brittle and cannot be manufactured reliably in the long, large and thick formats required by this application. The team has announced that it has realised an improvement in performance of Premo’s WC-Rx-Series (secondary coils). The magnetic core technology provides high-efficiency (above 95 per cent) power transfer due to the combination of an optimized coil (Litz wire) and a flexible core that avoids air gaps and reduces heating areas. The result is a compact secondary coil with a high Q-factor (very low losses) and high reliability, reports Premo.

Samples of the WC-RX @ 22kW) will be available by Q1 (2020).

WC-TX-Series (emitters) will be available in Q1 (2020).

http://www.grupopremo.com

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Arm extends ML processors to include AI in mobile and home devices

Monolithic thin-film image sensor boosts SWIR range

Nordic introduces Bluetooth 5.1 SoC for multi-protocol applications

Receiver antennae wirelessly transfer power for EVs

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