123ArticleOnline Logo
Welcome to 123ArticleOnline.com!
ALL >> Technology,-Gadget-and-Science >> View Article

Microchip Reveals Software Development Kit And Neural Network Ip For Easily Creating Low-power Fpga

Profile Picture
By Author: Puspanjali
Total Articles: 519
Comment this article
Facebook ShareTwitter ShareGoogle+ ShareTwitter Share

New Delhi, May 26, 2020 — With the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and the Internet of Things (IoT), applications are moving to the network edge where data is collected, requiring power-efficient solutions to deliver more computational performance in ever smaller, thermally constrained form factors. Through its Smart Embedded Vision initiative, Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP) is meeting the growing need for power-efficient inferencing in edge applications by making it easier for software developers to implement their algorithms in PolarFire® field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). As a significant addition to the solutions portfolio in this segment, Microchip’s VectorBlox Accelerator Software Development Kit (SDK) helps developers take advantage of Microchip’s PolarFire FPGAs for creating low-power, flexible overlay-based neural network applications without learning an FPGA tool flow.

FPGAs are ideal for edge AI applications, such as inferencing in power-constrained compute environments, because they can perform more giga operations per second (GOPS) with greater power efficiency ...
... than a central processing unit (CPU) or graphics processing unit (GPU), but they require specialized hardware design skills. Microchip’s VectorBlox Accelerator SDK is designed to enable developers to code in C/C++ and program power-efficient neural networks without prior FPGA design experience.

The highly flexible tool kit can execute models in TensorFlow and the open neural network exchange (ONNX) format which offers the widest framework interoperability. ONNX supports many frameworks such as Caffe2, MXNet, PyTorch, and MATLAB®. Unlike alternative FPGA solutions, Microchip’s VectorBlox Accelerator SDK is supported on Linux® and Windows® operating systems, and it also includes a bit accurate simulator which provides the user the opportunity to validate the accuracy of the hardware while in the software environment. The neural network IP included with the kit also supports the ability to load different network models at run time.
“In order for software developers to benefit from the power efficiencies of FPGAs, we need to remove the impediment of them having to learn new FPGA architectures and proprietary tool flows, while giving them the flexibility to port multi-framework and multi-network solutions,” said Bruce Weyer, vice president of the Field Programmable Gate Array business unit at Microchip. “Microchip’s VectorBlox Accelerator SDK and neural network IP core will give both software and hardware developers a way to implement an extremely flexible overlay convolutional neural network architecture on PolarFire FPGAs, from which they can then more easily construct and implement their AI-enabled edge systems that have best-in-class form factors, thermals and power characteristics.”

For inferencing at the edge, PolarFire FPGAs deliver up to 50 percent lower total power than competing devices, while also offering 25 percent higher-capacity math blocks that can deliver up to 1.5 tera operations per second (TOPS). By using FPGAs, developers also have greater opportunities for customization and differentiation through the devices’ inherent upgradability and ability to integrate functions on a single chip. The PolarFire FPGA neural network IP is available in a range of sizes to match the performance, power, and package size tradeoffs for the application, enabling customers to implement their solutions in package sizes as small as 11 × 11 mm.
Microchip’s Smart Embedded Vision initiative was launched last July to provide hardware and software developers with tools, intellectual property (IP) cores, and boards for meeting the thermally constrained and small-form-factor requirements of edge applications. Because PolarFire FPGAs deliver lower power compared to other solutions, customers can eliminate the need for fans in their enclosures. PolarFire FPGAs also offer more functional integration for a customer’s design. For example, in applications such as a smart camera, PolarFire FPGAs can integrate the image signal pipeline which includes the sensor interface, DDR controller, image signal processing (ISP) IP and network interfaces, all while integrating the machine learning inference.

Availability
Microchip’s VectorBlox Accelerator SDK is scheduled to be available in the third quarter of 2020, starting with an Early Access Program in June. PolarFire FPGAs are in production today. For more information, visit the Smart Embedded Vision web page or contact vectorblox@microchip.com.

Resources
High-res images available through Flickr or editorial contact (feel free to publish):
• Application image: www.flickr.com/photos/microchiptechnology/49450987492/sizes/l/

Total Views: 647Word Count: 666See All articles From Author

Add Comment

Technology, Gadget and Science Articles

1. Syneron Laser Repair Services: Restore Performance, Protect Your Investment
Author: Ryan

2. Sitecore Vs Optimizely: A Guide To Selecting The Right Dxp
Author: Addact Technologies

3. Hourly Price Insights: Amazon, Myntra, Meesho & Flipkart – 2025
Author: Den Rediant

4. Erp For Small Business: Fuel Growth With Smarter Systems
Author: Alex Forsyth

5. How To Implement Secure Authentication In Mern Stack Projects?
Author: Mukesh Ram

6. Uber Eats Menu Price Tracking For Ecosystem Analysis
Author: Retail Scrape

7. Ai Tracks Noon Vs Amazon.ae Price Gaps In Uae Retail Market
Author: Actowiz Solutions

8. Reimagine Brand Management With Wave: The Future-ready Platform
Author: 5Flow

9. Hire Virtual Receptionists And Let Them Do The Work For You
Author: Eliza Garran

10. Understanding Why A Virtual Answering Service Is Needful
Author: Eliza Garran

11. What Makes Helical Insight Unique Among Open-source Business Analytics Tools?
Author: Vhelical

12. The Event Management Website That India’s Top Event Companies Rely On
Author: Enseur Tech

13. Top 5 Reasons To Partner With App Developers Near Me
Author: brainbell10

14. How A Custom Mobile App Solves Real Business Problems?
Author: brainbell10

15. How App Developers Near Me Stands Out From The Competition?
Author: brainbell10

Login To Account
Login Email:
Password:
Forgot Password?
New User?
Sign Up Newsletter
Email Address: