New MPU integrates AI accelerator to give high performance in smart vision systems
The launch of the RZ/V2N by Renesas provides the fast-growing market for endpoint AI devices with a new option for realizing advanced vision applications while reducing system size, power and cost.
Renesas has launched a new microprocessor, the RZ/V2N, which provides high performance and low power consumption in vision AI applications.
The compact RZ/V2N MPU features the proprietary Renesas AI accelerator core, the dynamically reconfigurable processor DRP-AI3, which enables the MPU to achieve high AI processing efficiency of 10 TOPS/W. This high efficiency minimizes waste heat generation, eliminating the need for cooling fans, and so reducing the size and cost of embedded systems.
Boosted by advanced pruning technology, the RZ/V2N offers AI processing throughput of up to 15 TOPS. With a package footprint of just 15 mm x 15 mm, the 840-pin RZ/V2N reduces board mounting area by 38% compared to the existing RZ/V2H, another member of the RZ/V family.
The new RZ/V2N is based on an array of four 1.8 GHz Arm® Cortex®-A55 CPU cores and a single Cortex-M33 core, supported by an Arm Mali-C55 image signal processor. The RZ/V2N also provides two channels of MIPI camera interfaces, which allow two cameras to be connected to capture dual-angle images. The two-camera system improves spatial recognition performance compared to a single-camera system, and enables more precise human motion line analysis and fall detection.
A dual-camera system also captures images from different locations, allowing a single-chip system, for instance, to count cars in a parking lot and recognize licence plates efficiently.
Comprehensive development environment
Renesas provides software support for AI applications covering more than 50 use cases in the AI Applications and AI software development kit on GitHub. The SDK helps users to quickly evaluate and develop AI applications, with even limited experience in AI system design.
To accelerate development of AI cameras, Renesas has also developed the AI Dash Camera Solution, which consists of the RZ/V2N, a power management IC, and a real-time clock.