#NXP i.MX 8QuadMax SoC

[toradex]

Toradex opens Early Access for the Apalis iMX8 with the NXP i.MX 8QuadMax SoC

Toradex announced that it has opened early access for selected customers to its new Apalis iMX8 System on Module (SoM) based on the NXP® i.MX 8QuadMax SoC.

Companies interested in working with this cutting-edge Hardware and Software are invited to sign up for the Toradex early access program to receive more information about the requirements to join the program.

The Apalis iMX8 is the latest member of the Apalis family, a high-performance Arm®-based pin-compatible SoM. The NXP i.MX 8QM SoC is the highest performance variation of the i.MX 8 family, featuring 6x Armv8-A 64-bit processor cores – 2x Arm Cortex-A72 & 4x Cortex-A53 – as well as 2x additional Cortex-M4F microcontrollers. The integrated HIFI4 DSP, a high-performance dual GPU, 28 nm FD-SOI technology, and extra safety features are other differentiators to the lower performance i.MX 8M SoC.

The release version of the Apalis iMX8 will come with all the standard Toradex advantages including Toradex Easy Installer, Free Professional Support, Production-quality Yocto Project Based Linux BSP, Active Community, Daily updated Developer Page, Pin-out Designer tools, Fully open Carrier Board Designs, World Wide Network with local support offices and much more.

Toradex Partners are already working for solutions on top of Toradex SoM offerings; this includes Graphical User Experience, Deep Learning Inference Optimization, Machine Vision Tools, and additional Operating Systems.

At Embedded World 2018, Toradex showcased the Apalis iMX8 in two interesting demos: demonstrating the Toradex MIPI CSI-2 Camera Module and showing Qt 3D Studio taking advantage of the dual 3D GPU.

For a brief overview of the demos at Embedded World 2018, please see:

Apart from its high performance and rich interfaces, the i.MX 8QuadMax stands out with long availability of over 10 years. The SoC is built with 28 nm FD-SOI technology to reduce soft errors and increase MTBF. High shock and vibration resilience and a temperature range from -40° to 85°C, makes the Apalis iMX8 a great choice for edge computing applications in the most demanding environments.

                                        Block Diagram: NXP i.MX 8QM

Critical real-time and safety processes can be off-loaded to the dual Cortex-M4F coprocessors. The latest iteration of the NXP Asynchronous Hybrid System with Cortex-A and Cortex-M class processors isolates the M4 cores to provide the highest safety. OpenCL 2.0 allows the GPUs on the i.MX 8QM to be used not just for graphics, but also for Computer Vision, Machine Learning and Signal Processing.

The samples available for the early access feature 4GB RAM and up to 16GB Flash Memory. Toradex has also opened the forum to the public to provide input for the final modules configurations: https://www.toradex.com/computer-on-modules/apalis-arm-family/nxp-imx-8#features

About Toradex:

Toradex is a Swiss-based company with offices around the world, offering Arm®-based System on Modules (SoMs) and Customizable Single Board Computers (SBCs). Powered by NXP® and NVIDIA® SoCs, the pin-compatible SoMs are ideal for demanding edge computing applications. Toradex SoMs offer scalability in terms of price, performance, power consumption and I/Os. Complemented with direct online sales and long-term product availability, Toradex offers direct premium support and ex-stock availability with local warehouses. Toradex SoMs come with a free production-quality Linux BSP based on the Yocto Project.

[menzelrobovision-blog]

Robotized Retail Look at Terminal Furnished with artificial intelligence Programming

Basler made a live showing of a mechanized retail look at terminal furnished with man-made intelligence programming. The implanted vision framework rapidly distinguishes and orders items in a shopping bushel, and shows the estimating. This demo demonstrates the way that consolidating simulated intelligence and lean inserted vision frameworks can prompt inventive implanted applications that work on our day to day existence.

1. Outline Implanted vision innovation decreases, all the more remarkable and subsequently empowers an abundance of new applications that depend on little size, low power utilization and low expenses. One of the numerous regions where installed innovation can assist with computerizing and improve on processes is retail.

Among the frameworks that will assist with making the shoppin experience more straightforward are self-checkout frameworks. Today thosesystems ordinarily utilize 2D standardized identification scanners to identify and record items on transport lines.

Later frameworks utilize customary article characterization strategies (utilizing highlights like tone or type) to guarantee exact distinguishing proof of item includes. These strategies are not powerful when sent in uncontrolled conditions where different light and calculation conditions happen.

Those issues can be stayed away from while adding artificial intelligence to the framework: With most recent artificial intelligence innovation it is feasible to distinguish items without scanner tags in a consistent climate and scale up the item portfolio effectively on the fly. The test while building such a framework is to consolidate the best of two universes: simulated intelligence and lean installed vision frameworks. Basler planned this verification of idea to show the advantages and conceivable outcomes of this new innovation

2. Arrangement For the implanted world tradeshow 2019, Basler made - fully supported by their nearby organization with NXPSemiconductors - a live show of a computerized retail checkout terminal furnished with simulated intelligence programming. The implanted vision framework rapidly distinguishes and groups items in a shopping container, and presentations the valuing. Clients can choose what to place in their bushels, and the prepared brain network then distinguishes the items in view of a video transfer - correspondingly to how face acknowledgment functions - lastly the all out evaluating is shown.

2.1 Equipment

The man-made intelligence retail arrangement depends on the impending new Basler Implanted Vision Pack. This best in class edge handling framework comprises of

„ dart BCON for MIPI camera module from Basler with ON Semiconductor's AR1335 sensor

„ i.MX 8QuadMax SoC from NXP

„ i.MX 8QuadMax based handling board

„ SMARC 2.0 transporter board

The total demo arrangement is near a certifiable application and integrates all vision important variables

2.2 Programming The product for this arrangement comprises of two significant parts: the framework programming and the application programming. To make such an installed framework run as expected, various components of the framework programming should be associated with make an intelligent framework. Basler involved its long involvement with various programming fields to interface programming components like BSPs, NXP's Yocto bit and to make a high-performing and lean installed framework.

The second piece of the arrangement's product is the application programming. The product depends on a custom Convolutional Brain Organization (CNN) by Irida labs. The model utilized depends on the most recent profound learning and edge handling strategies, to give quick and hearty reaction in a consistent situation. The preparation of the CNN happens on the host side however the derivation happens on the edge.

2.3 Benefits of this arrangement

This arrangement offers a strong framework with a ton of benefits.

„ This framework is versatile. Items can be added without any problem to the framework: a host-sided preparing considers a simple organization to the edge frameworks utilizing IoT innovation

„ This strong framework is improved for vision, has high exactness and a quick surmising time „ Equipment is industry-demonstrated and durable

„ Cost-effective, lean plan due to inserted and IoT innovation

„ Little structure factor takes into consideration different combination choices

„ Retail locations benefit from lower work costs as well as altogether further developed client experience through moment checkouts, limited lines and 100 percent checkout limit consistently, in any event, when the shop is open all day, every day

3. End While making this arrangement, one of Basler's pivotal errands was to unite all pertinent accomplices and to consolidate the various components to make an ideal arrangement. With Installed Vision Arrangements by Basler, the client has a solitary contact that deals with all pertinent coordination.

What's more, Basler deals with streamlining every framework for vision prerequisites and making various parts cooperate consistently. With the high adaptability that is important to make such a situation, Basler is the right accomplice to make complex implanted vision arrangements.

To Know More About Embedded Vision Systems dealer Mumbai India Please visit below link.

Link: http://www.mvrpl.com/

[toradex]

Amazon FreeRTOS, heterogeneous cores and the all-new Apalis and Colibri iMX8

Amazon acquires FreeRTOS       FreeRTOS is a real-time operating system kernel for embedded devices. In development since 2003, it is the market-leading real-time operating system, having been ported to more than 40 microcontroller architectures. On November 29, 2017, Amazon acquired FreeRTOS and announced Amazon FreeRTOS (or a:FreeRTOS), a real-time operating system kernel based on FreeRTOS and focused on low-power, connected devices.

Amazon seems to be interested in integrating the most widely used real-time operating system — which, consequently, has a very broad user base — with their cloud services, like AWS IoT Core and AWS Greengrass. After the acquisition, Amazon introduced version 10 of FreeRTOS. Along with new features like cloud and edge connectivity libraries, the kernel license was changed from a modified version of the GNU General Public License (GPL), which the FreeRTOS project used previously, to the more permissive MIT license. This means that FreeRTOS is still a separate product and can be used freely, with or without Amazon services.

Why this is relevant: Heterogeneous Multicore Processing (HMP)

Toradex offers the Colibri iMX7 and Colibri VF61 System on Modules (SoMs) / Computer on Modules (CoMs). These products are based on the NXP® i.MX7 and Vybrid SoC respectively. The processors on these modules feature an Arm® Cortex-A core, usually running an operating system such as embedded Linux; and an Arm Cortex-M4 microcontroller core, which can run bare-metal code or a real-time operating system like FreeRTOS. Here's an outline of use cases:

 Control      systems:      The Cortex-M4 core can be used as a controller for a dynamic system,      running, e.g., a PID controller, offloading the Cortex-A core running      Linux, which, in turn, could be displaying a human-machine interface.

 Data      acquisition:      On applications that make use of an analog-to-digital converter, the      Cortex-M4 core can be employed to acquire data at a high sample rate more      easily, also offloading the other core.

An example application using the Toradex Colibri iMX7 System on Module is a self-balancing robot named TAQ. It was developed in partnership with Antmicro and Qt. The robot runs embedded Linux on the Cortex-A7 core, presenting the robot's face animations and sensor data received from the Cortex-M4 core. The Cortex-M4 core runs FreeRTOS, acquiring data from sensors such as an accelerometer and a gyroscope. It uses this data to control the dynamic system, employing a PID controller and a Kalman filter. The cores communicate via RPMsg. A kernel module on the Linux side creates a virtual serial interface which connects to the Cortex-M4; data exchange can be achieved by writing to or reading from this serial device, just as it would be done with a "real" serial device.

The sources for this demo are open and can be found here (Linux side, user interface) and here (Cortex-M4 firmware).

The Toradex Colibri iMX7 was also used on a tablet demonstrating some low-power applications. This video showcases the demo, which features sensor data acquisition and visualization while independently displaying power consumption on a separate LCD display.

Toradex supports and maintains a FreeRTOS repository for its System on Modules. Many peripheral drivers and examples are included and ready to use. Some documentation is available at the Toradex Developer Center showing how you can get up and running with the built-in FreeRTOS examples. Watch our webinars for deeper insight into heterogeneous multicore systems development.

What about the future?

On the software side

There are many new players in the RTOS market. In 2016, Wind River Systems and the Linux Foundation launched Zephyr, a real-time operating system also focused on small, connected devices, targeting the IoT market. The Toradex Colibri iMX7 System on Module is officially supported by Zephyr, and development is ongoing.

On the hardware side: the all-new NXP i.MX 8-based Apalis and Colibri SoMs

Toradex has just launched the early access phase of its brand-new System on Module, the Apalis iMX8. This powerful SoM is based on the NXP i.MX 8QuadMax (i.MX 8QM) applications processor, featuring two Arm Cortex-A72 cores, four Cortex-A53 cores and two Cortex-M4 cores. Packed with 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 16GB of eMMC flash storage, it also has built-in dual band Wi-Fi (802.11ac) and Bluetooth (Bluetooth 5-ready). This System on Module is ideal for computer vision applications: there are two integrated Vivante GC7000 GPUs, supporting Vulkan and OpenGL ES.

The two Cortex-M4 cores open up many possibilities: as an example, you can run two different applications or real-time operating systems independently, to balance a data processing application; or use one core for sensor data acquisition and the other for post-processing. The microcontroller cores can also be used as a safety fallback for a graphical display, or to present early boot animations instead of static images.

Toradex presented an Apalis iMX8 demo at Embedded World 2018. Watch this video to check it out, along with some other exciting partner demos.

Soon: Colibri iMX8

The Colibri family is also slated to receive an update: Toradex will soon launch its Colibri iMX8 System on Module. Based on the NXP i.MX 8X, it will also feature a heterogeneous multicore architecture, with a Cortex-M4 core and a Cortex-A35 core running side by side. Stay tuned for more information on this upcoming System on Module!

[toradex]

Toradex Announces its Participation in NXPs Early Access Program for the  iMX 8QuadMax Applications Processor

Toradex is proud to announce its participation in the early access program for the new NXP® i.MX 8QuadMax applications processor. Toradex will feature the NXP i.MX 8QuadMax on its pin-compatible Apalis Computer on Module form factor. Apalis iMX8 will be able to take advantage of the extensive ecosystem around Toradex Apalis System on Modules (SoMs).

The NXP i.MX 8QuadMax features 6x ARM®v8-A 64-bit processor cores – 2x ARM® Cortex®-A72 & 4x Cortex-A53 - as well as 2x additional Cortex-M4F microcontroller cores with FPU in a single SoC. Its powerful dual 3D GPU supports Open GL ES 3.1, Vulcan and 4x HD or 1x 4K resolution displays. SafeAssure® fail-over capable display controllers ensure critical displays are always on. High-speed interfaces like PCIe 3.0, SATA 3.0 and USB 3.0 are available for further expansion.

The Toradex Apalis iMX8 will be offered with a wide temperature range and long-term availability, making it an excellent choice for rugged and demanding applications.

The Toradex Ixora Carrier Board, the CSI Camera Module and the Apalis iMX8 will make a great combination to take advantage of the high-performance computer vision processing capabilities of the NXP i.MX 8QuadMax.

Robert Thompson, i.MX Ecosystem Manager at NXP

“NXP realizes that one of the keys to success for the i.MX 8QuadMax processor is enabling an active ecosystem so a wide range of customers can achieve a faster time to market,” said Robert Thompson, i.MX Ecosystem Manager at NXP. “Toradex, with its long history of success in developing i.MX based SOMs is an ideal partner to help NXP launch the i.MX 8Quad Max and accelerate customer development.”  

The Apalis iMX8 will work with any Toradex Apalis carrier board. Toradex will provide a Yocto Project based Linux Board Support Package (BSP). The BSP additionally includes support for FreeRTOS on the Cortex-M4F cores to fully leverage the Heterogeneous Multicore Processing (HMP) architecture of the i.MX 8QuadMax. As with all Toradex modules, online resources such as the developer center, community forum and webinars provide extensive documentation for getting started and beyond. Toradex also provides free local technical support for all its products.

Toradex partners will provide additional Apalis-optimized 3rd-party solutions extending the broad Apalis ecosystem.

Sign up to receive updates about the laXtest progress of the Apalis iMX8 on the Toradex webpage.

Visit us at Embedded World from 14 - 16 March 2017 in Nuremberg, Germany on booth 1-639, Hall 1 to talk with our engineers about the upcoming Apalis iMX8.

About Toradex:

Toradex is a Swiss based company with offices around the world, offering ARM®-based System on Modules (SOMs) and Customizable Single Board Computers (SBCs). Powered by NXP® i.MX 6, i.MX 7 & Vybrid, and NVIDIA Tegra 2, 3 and TK1 SoC, the pin-compatible SoMs offer scalability in terms of price, performance, power consumption and I/Os. Complemented with direct online sales and long-term product availability, Toradex offers direct premium support and ex-stock availability with local warehouses. For more information, visit https://www.toradex.com