ST's new AI-powered STM32N6 MCU

STMicroelectronics’ portfolio of cutting-edge products and technologies, combined with Edge Impulse’s pioneering edge AI platform being deployed in production within global enterprises, enables the development of compelling new offerings for customers. In addition to its comprehensive suite of tools for building edge-capable AI algorithms (from data collection to model deployment), Edge Impulse offers multiple generative AI-based features, such as AI labelling, to accelerate the creation of edge AI solutions, as well as integrations with NVIDIA’s TAO and Omniverse. This complements STMicroelectronics’ existing collaboration with NVIDIA and unlocks new opportunities to leverage these technologies on the ground floor.

The STM32N6 is ST’s new flagship microcontroller device, achieving 600x performance gain over the high-end STM32 microcontrollers today. This is achieved through the new onboard Neural-ART Accelerator, an NPU developed in-house by STMicroelectronics. By offloading AI computations to the Neural-ART Accelerator, the STM32N6's Arm® Cortex®-M core is freed to handle other tasks, enhancing overall system efficiency.

With official Edge Impulse support, developers and enterprises can seamlessly leverage the incredible power and efficiency of the STM32N6 and speed up the creation of a multitude of applications, including computer vision solutions for industrial and consumer applications, energy management, and anomaly detection.

“The STM32N6 is the perfect complement to the Edge Impulse platform,” says Zach Shelby, CEO and co-founder of Edge Impulse. “Technologically, it’s a leap forward and is fantastic for the industry, enabling developers to push the boundaries of what’s possible at the edge. With its powerful AI capabilities and energy-efficient design, it aligns perfectly with our mission to make edge AI accessible and impactful across every sector. We couldn’t be more excited to integrate it and help users build incredible enterprise-grade solutions with it.”

“The future of AI will undoubtedly have a significant edge perspective, and the STM32N6 promises to be a key to unlocking that potential,” says Patrick Aidoune, General Purpose MCU Division General Manager, STMicroelectronics. “By combining our state-of-the-art Neural-ART Accelerator with the intuitive tools from Edge Impulse, we are empowering developers to bring sophisticated AI capabilities directly to the edge. This collaboration amplifies innovation across industries, from industrial automation to smart home applications, ensuring that cutting-edge technology is both accessible and transformative.”