AI prowess proven with launch of FPGA machine vision platform

Innodisk has revealed its latest step into the AI market with the release of EXMU-X261, an FPGA Machine Vision Platform. Powered by AMD's Xilinx Kria K26 SOM, which was created to facilitate smart city and smart factory applications, its platform is set to show the way for industrial system integrators seeking to develop machine vision applications. Automated defect inspection, a key machine vision application, is a critical technology in modern manufacturing. Automated visual inspection ensures that the product works as expected and fulfils specifications. In these cases, a fast and highly accurate inspection system must be employed. Without AI, operators must manually inspect every product, taking an average of three seconds per item. Now, with the help of AI solutions such as this platform, product inspection in factories can be automated, and the result is not just faster and cheaper but can be totally free of human error.

The platform is provided with 1GbE LAN, four USB 3.1 Gen1 ports, two M.2 slots, and a series of other expansion and connectivity options. Thanks to the platform's 0C to 70C operational temperature support and optional industrial temperature support from -40C to +85C, the device is tough enough for the most challenging industrial environments. Also, it features support for the company's InnoAgent out-of-band remote management module, enabling the platform to be remotely managed from anywhere, even through a system crash or an in-band network failure. This is essential for any automated system, as it can be completely unmanned, further lowering manpower and maintenance costs.

Customers can take advantage of AMD's Xilinx Kria K26 SOM's ability to swiftly get applications to market thanks to the platform's full support for the company's AI Suite SDK. The suite comprises an FPGA Model Zoo and its in-house software solutions, such as iCAP (Innodisk Cloud Administration Platform) and iVIT (Innodisk Vision Intelligence Toolkit). iVIT, for example, offers a deep learning environment for efficient development and deployment of 'no-code-operation' solutions.