TI at embedded world 2023 | MCU & vision processor families

Vision processor family

To build on innovations that advance intelligence at the Edge, TI introduced a new family of six Arm Cortex-based vision processors that allow designers to add more vision and artificial intelligence (AI) processing at a lower cost, and with better energy efficiency, in applications such as video doorbells, machine vision and autonomous mobile robots.

This new family, which includes the AM62A, AM68A and AM69A processors, is supported by open-source evaluation and model development tools, and common software that is programmable through industry-standard application programming interfaces (APIs), frameworks and models. This platform of vision processors, software and tools helps designers easily develop and scale edge AI designs across multiple systems while accelerating time to market.

“In order to achieve real-time responsiveness in the electronics that keep our world moving, decision-making needs to happen locally and with better power efficiency,” said Sameer Wasson, Vice President, Processors, Texas Instruments. “This new processor family of affordable, highly integrated SoCs will enable the future of embedded AI by allowing for more cameras and vision processing in edge applications.”

Scalable AI camera performance at the edge with vision processors

TI’s new vision processors bring intelligence from the Cloud to the real world by eliminating cost and design complexity barriers when implementing vision processing and deep learning capabilities in low-power Edge AI applications.

These processors feature a system-on-a-chip (SoC) architecture that includes extensive integration. Integrated components include Arm Cortex-A53 or Cortex-A72 central processing units, a third-generation TI image signal processor, internal memory, interfaces, and hardware accelerators that deliver from 1 to 32 teraoperations per second (TOPS) of AI processing for deep learning algorithms.

Vision processors in this family include the:

• AM62A3, AM62A3-Q1, AM62A7 and AM62A7-Q1, which support one to two cameras at less than 2W in applications such as doorbell cameras and smart retail systems. This family includes the AM62A3, the industry’s lowest-cost 1-TOPS vision processor (US$12 in 1,000-unit quantities).
• AM68A, which enables one to eight cameras in applications like machine vision, with up to 8 TOPS of AI processing for advanced video analytics.
• AM69A, which achieves 32 TOPS of AI processing for one to 12 cameras in high-performance applications such as edge AI boxes, autonomous mobile robots, and traffic monitoring systems.

Streamlined AI evaluation and development with open-source, free tool

Beginning in Q2 2023, designers can accelerate time to market for their Edge AI applications with a public beta of TI’s free open-source tool, Edge AI Studio. This web-based tool allows users to develop and test AI models quickly and easily using user-created models and TI's optimised models, which can also be retrained with custom data.

Package, availability, and pricing

AM68A processors are available now through TI and authorised distributors in production quantities. Pre-production samples of the AM62A and the AM69A are available through TI. Pricing for AM6xA processors starts at US$12 for 1,000-unit quantities. Starter kits are available on TI.com for the AM62A (US$249), AM68A (US$249) and AM69A (US$299).

MCU portfolio

TI is also expanding its analogue and embedded processing semiconductor portfolio by introducing a scalable Arm Cortex-M0+ microcontroller (MCU) portfolio that features a wide range of computing, pinout, memory and integrated analogue options.

With an initial launch of dozens of MCUs supported by intuitive software and design tools, the MSPM0 MCU portfolio allows designers to spend more time innovating and less time evaluating and coding – cutting design time from months to days.

“TI is building the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of Arm Cortex-M0+ based MCUs – expanding an already extensive semiconductor offering with options for general-purpose designs,” said Vinay Agarwal, Vice President, MSP Microcontrollers, Texas Instruments. “Our new MCUs provide the flexibility our customers need to enhance the sensing and control capabilities of their systems while cutting cost, complexity and design time.”

Find the right processing and integrated analogue features for any general-purpose design

Designers can select from a wide range of computing options from 32MHz to 80MHz with math acceleration and multiple configurations of integrated analogue signal-chain components, including the industry’s first zero-drift operational amplifier on an MCU and precision 12-bit, 4-MSPS analogue-to-digital converters. This flexibility helps designers meet their current design’s requirements and plan for future designs – all within the same MCU portfolio.

Reduce design time from months to days and get started within minutes

MSPM0 MCUs can help save months of design time with software, design support resources and coding tools – including graphical tools that streamline device configuration – all created to help designers code once and then scale across future MSPM0-based designs.

Designers can enhance system performance and memory utilisation with the MSPM0 software development kit (SDK). This SDK provides a cohesive experience that includes a wide variety of drivers, libraries, over 200 easy-to-use code examples and subsystem reference designs.

Making the future of embedded possible with scalable processing portfolios

This new MCU portfolio builds on TI’s commitment of providing designers with cost-effective and easy-to-use embedded processors to meet any design challenge. TI embedded processors help designers connect and control systems in an intelligent, reliable, and secure way while also reducing cost and complexity.

In addition to a vast software, tool and training ecosystem, all analogue and embedded processing parts are supported by TI’s internal manufacturing investments to help meet customer demand for decades to come.

Package, availability, and pricing

MSPM0L and MSPM0G MCUs are available for purchase on TI.com and through authorized distributors, with pricing starting at US$0.39 in 1,000-unit quantities. These MCUs are available in multiple package sizes with 16- to 64-pin package options and flash memory options ranging from 16kB to 128kB. Multiple payment and shipping options are available on TI.com. designers can start prototyping today by requesting LaunchPad development kits for the MSPM0L1306 and the MSPM0G3507.