Microchip Technology has acquired Neuronix AI Labs, a move that will expand its capabilities for artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled edge solutions deployed on field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).
Neuronix AI Labs’ neural network sparsity optimization technology enables a reduction in power, size and calculations for tasks like:
- Image classification
- Object detection
- Semantic segmentation
The acquisition of neural network technology will allow Microchip to develop large-scale edge deployments of components for computer-vision applications using PolarFire FPGAs and SoCs. Microchip said it will enable a multifold increase in AI/machine learning processing horsepower on low and mid-range FPGAs.
“The acquisition of Neuronix AI Labs’ technology will enhance our power efficiency for FPGAs and SoCs deployed in intelligent edge systems that utilize AI/ML algorithms,” said Bruce Weyer, corporate vice president of Microchip’s FPGA business unit. “Systems designers will now be able to architect and deploy small-footprint hardware that was previously difficult to build due to size, thermal or power constraints.”
Additionally, the acquisition of the technology will allow non-FPGA designers to harness parallel processing capabilities using industry-standard AI frameworks without the need of in-depth knowledge of FPGA design flow, Microchip said.
