Secure and energy-efficient edge device family expands Linux capabilities

NXP Semiconductors has launched the i.MX 91 applications processor family. Building on more than two decades of developing multi-market applications processors, the family provides an optimised blend of the security, features, and energy-efficient performance required for the next generation of Linux-based IoT and industrial applications.

Emerging protocols such as Matter or the ISO 15118-20 standard for EV chargers produce inflection points for new product categories across IoT and industrial markets. These new products frequently rely on Linux, which delivers the extensibility and ease of programming developers require for applications to evolve, advancing product life. The company's i.MX 91 family allows developers to swiftly create new Linux-based edge devices, including home controllers, connected appliances, home entertainment, industrial scanning and printing, building control, EV chargers and medical platforms.

"The i.MX 91 family extends NXP's leadership in smart controllers," said Jim McGregor, principal analyst at TIRIAS Research. "Next-generation Linux devices based on the i.MX 91 applications processors will be high-performance, affordable, and secure solutions, enabling quicker and easier adoption of updated protocols or new standards as they are introduced. It provides engineers with an essential platform to add intelligence into traditional embedded and IoT systems while also delivering scalability through the larger i.MX 9 series."

As the entry point of the i.MX 9 series, the new family supplies the extensibility and ease of programming developers require for applications to evolve. Hardware and software commonality with the i.MX 93 family delivers extra platform options for scaling product lines that maximise the reuse of development investments and decrease time to market.

"Our new i.MX 91 family will provide the foundation for thousands of new device classes, with its high performance, connectivity and EdgeLock secure enclave setting a new standard for Linux platforms across IoT and industrial applications," said Charles Dachs, senior vice president and general manager, Industrial and IoT Edge, at NXP. "The i.MX 91 family enables the rapid development of platforms that may easily pivot into new markets and new applications, leveraging existing investments and streamlining product line updates."

The applications processor features an Arm Cortex-A55 running at up to 1.4GHz; support for modern LPDDR4 memory to help platform longevity and reliability; dual Gigabit Ethernet for gateway or multi-network segment support; dual USB ports; and the essential I/O for products in smart factory, smart home, smart office, medical device, metering, and cost-optimised system-on-module platforms.

An integrated EdgeLock secure enclave supplies advanced security features such as lifecycle management, tamper detection, secure boot, and a simplified path to certifications. The developers readily access these important security capabilities through NXP-provided security software enablement. This blend of security and manageability drives trust and longevity for platform designs that will be in the market for multiple years.

The family is provided with the company's co-developed and cost-optimised power management solution, obtainable as part of the i.MX 93 family ecosystem. The evaluation kits and software packages for the family combine with the company's wide, scalable portfolio of wireless solutions. This includes the IW612, the industry's first monolithic tri-radio family that supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and 802.15.4. The IW612, focused on Matter, frees consumers from the restrictions of single-protocol ecosystems, enabling them to enjoy seamless interoperability across different ecosystems and wireless network technologies.