easics launches nearbAI™ IP cores for XR devices that will set the standard for extreme edge AI performance and immersive experiences

Battery-powered extended reality (XR) devices need to sense and analyze their environments within the response time of the human senses to provide instant visual and aural feedback towards the user. And do so with extremely low power consumption and with ultra-low latency. The easics solution meets these demands with their compact nearbAI semiconductor IP cores and its unique L3-Optimizer technology for low power + low latency + low area balance. The digital IP cores are optimized for integration in ASICs, ASSPs and SoCs inside XR devices and available as of today.

The growth of edge computing and edge AI is driving the need for high-performance neural network inference engines on edge devices. Gartner projects that by 2027, deep learning will be included in over 65% of edge use cases. XR edge devices in the form of virtual reality (VR) headsets and augmented reality (AR) glasses are forecasted to experience double-digit growth and surpass 50 million units by 2026, according to IDC. XR devices will increasingly employ edge AI to locally sense and analyze their environments, as part of the distributed computing landscape of the metaverse.

nearbAI IP cores are highly efficient neural network inference engines, configurable for an extensive and growing range of AI models and use cases optimized for energy consumption, performance and area. nearbAI powers functions such as scene segmentation and reconstruction, object and face detection and recognition, foundational to consumer and enterprise XR applications.

“nearbAI is unique, delivering best-in-class extreme edge AI inference solutions for XR devices. It builds on more than three decades of DSP and image sensor chip design. Our mission is to provide customers with IPs that perfectly fit their specifications, offer outstanding performance, and are seamless to integrate right through to tape-out”, said Ramses Valvekens, CSO & Managing Director at easics.

Ideal for mobile XR processor chips and even fits in the most compact near-sensor AI chips:

Extreme optimization
-
Proprietary L3-Optimizer: low power + low latency + low area balance
- Scaled and tuned to the application, yet field upgradable
- Record-breaking MAC utilization up to 95%
- Wide-ranging configurable number of MACs: 16 to 4096
- Configurable MAC accuracy, independent coefficient and data quantization, 4 to 16-bit, single bit granularity
- Configurable internal memory bank sizes and bus widths

Low power
- As low as sub 10 milliwatt

Ultra-fast response time
- Face detection in 2 milliseconds

Zero-latency switching
- Continuous multiplexing between multiple neural networks on the same nearbAI core, saving silicon area

Support for any sensor
- RGB, ToF, NIR, thermal IR, LiDAR, hyperspectral, stereo, ultrasound, audio

“easics is committed to bringing the most advanced technology and solutions to market. With nearbAI, along with our partners and customers, we are pushing the latest AI innovation to the extreme edge”, added Mr. Valvekens.

To learn more about nearbAI for XR devices and experience a live demo, visit the easics booth at Augmented Enterprise Summit (AES) 2022 in San Diego, October 18-20, Booth 802 (www.augmentedenterprisesummit.com), or visit www.nearbai.com.

About easics

easics is a market leader in digital chip design and semiconductor IP licensing. With over 30 years of design excellence in embedded solutions, easics provide unique competence and development platforms that leads to first-time right, reliable and optimized logic. easics supports leading OEMs and semiconductor companies with custom designs and customizable IP blocks for smart embedded processing systems that can be realized in custom ASICs / ASSPs / SoCs and in FPGAs.

For more information, please visit www.easics.com or follow easics on LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:

easics:
Jon Jacobsen
Marketing Manager
E: marketing@easics.com
P: +32 16 395 611
Web: www.easics.com

Resources:
PR as Word document >>>
easics logo (High-resolution) >>>
nearbAI logo (High-resolution) >>>
nearbAI IP core diagram (High-resolution) >>>

LAST CALL – Just over 24hrs left to submit for Aurea Award in Immersive Entertainment

The next Aurea Award ceremony and professional conference will take place on Jan. 15 - 16, 2020 at Europa-Park, where shortlisted state of the art experiences will not only show where the industry is all headed, but will also be pitched live on stage in front of an all-star Jury. All stakeholders from the entertainment sector from startups to investors, and creatives to corporates are invited to get involved and help the community grow.

Interested in applying? Submissions are open until midnight November 15, 2019!
Interested in attending? By invitation only. Request a spot here.

About Aurea Award
With just 5 AUREA awards up for grabs, film projects, music experiences, live events, games, mixed reality experiences as well as enabling technologies receive center stage in front of a crowd VR & AR enthusiasts. Besides showcasing and awarding the most exciting products and experiences, the conference also delivers thought-leader talks, candid discussions on panels and a slew of workshops, while leaving room plenty of room for networking and enjoyment. In the setting of one of the world's leading theme parks, the conference offers multiple opportunities for groundbreakers to be heard and seen, to connect to the most relevant pioneers in the ecosystem and to become a part of the vibrant AUREA community. 
https://aurea-award.com/

About VRARA
The VR/AR Association is an international organization designed to facilitate collaboration between innovative companies and people in the VR and AR ecosystem that accelerates growth, fosters research and education, helps develop industry standards, connects member organizations and promotes the services of member companies. Over 4500 companies, brands, school and 27,000 professionals are registered with VRARA and more than 20 committees are working on best practices and guidelines for the industry.
https://www.thevrara.com/

The VR/AR Association publishes the Belgian Ecosystem Report featuring 50 Companies

 
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How are the European Parliament, New Balance, Volvo, and other leading companies leveraging the VR/AR ecosystem of Belgium? Why are they investing in this new technology?

Together with Howest, we decided to create this VRARA Ecosystem report, which gives up-to-date information about the VR/AR space in Belgium. Almost 50 Belgian companies shared their experience, predictions for the future, and real use cases! We kindly share this report with you to help you capitalize on the next major computing platform shift and understand why Belgium will play a role in that!

Foreword

For nearly 25 years, Howest University of Applied Sciences has acted as a pioneer in the field of applied computer sciences. Anticipating the future and exploring the talents and motivation of each student, we have coached our students to become competent, highly employable, team oriented young professionals.

Introducing new bachelor programmes, inspiring hundreds of young early adopters, we have aimed to set the mark for socially relevant, practice-based education and valorisation oriented research and community service for the broad regional and international labour market.

Anticipating new trends and needs, we have designed new profiles. With our programme in Digital Arts and Entertainment, we have become part of a worldwide, cutting edge circle of trendsetters.

We have generated a practice-based, state of the art curriculum in close collaboration with all the major partners in the field of technology, creating a multidisciplinary setting, integrating education, research and community service, which allows us to create an added value for our students, staff and society as a whole. Twice we have been awarded the Rookie Award for best gaming programme worldwide.

More recently, we have developed new programmes in the field of AR, VR and – our newest programme – in applied AI. Although they are different, VR and AR share common processes and technologies such as software and data processing. They also tend to concentrate in the same business and research worlds hence creating overlapping ecosystems, as is clearly shown in ‘Virtual reality and its potential for Europe’, a paper by Ecorys (2017). VR & AR ecosystems are also closely related to the industry of artificial intelligence (AI).

Howest University of Applied Sciences has always stimulated entrepreneurship, creating a fertile soil and facilitating students and alumni in pursuing their dreams. No wonder so many names in this register have a familiar ring to them: they are alumni of Howest! Needless to say we are very proud of their achievements!

It goes without saying that none of these efforts could reach fruition without a supportive context. The Kortrijk region is wellknown for its technology giants such as Barco but also for its entrepreneurial SME’s. The town council and its mayor are valued partners. Flanders itself aims high with its Goals 2050 programme.

Howest University of Applied Sciences is rooted in enthusiasm, dedication and hard work. These values have made us the future forward organisation we have been for so many years. It is our firm intention to be the change agent for the years to come.

-- Lode De Geyter

President, Howest University of Applied Sciences

www.howest.be