Fusion of embedded computing and vision technologies

At this year’s electronica, congatec’s showcased the fusion of embedded computing and embedded vision technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning, to present holistic Embedded Vision platforms. The goal was to provide OEM customers with a comprehensive ecosystem that integrates as easily and efficiently as a standard USB device.

Customers benefit from application-ready components with unified APIs, GPGPU, and AI compatibility, minimizing design effort and ensuring that new applications get into production more quickly.

Christian Eder, Director of Marketing at congatec, stated: “We see tremendous demand for a fusion of embedded computing and embedded vision technologies, including AI and deep learning, as the embedded vision market is forecast to grow at staggering rates; 140% growth is predicted for the autonomous robotic vehicle segment, for example. To establish and maintain a decisive innovative and competitive edge in this market, OEMs have to work extremely fast and efficiently.

“For this, they need a strong partner to help them implement camera, AI, and deep learning technologies, because ultimately it’s the embedded computing device that merges heterogeneous technology implementations and is the linchpin of the embedded vision market. This is why we are currently investing heavily in the delivery of application-ready embedded vision components to provide customers with high design security and shorter time-to-market.”

According to Yole Développement, camera technologies will grow at a CAGR of around 140% in autonomous robotic vehicles over the next four to five years, increasing from five to $900m. The overall market is also reportedly experiencing strong growth at a CAGR of 12%. The largest market segment is that of industrial vision systems; it is expected to generate approximately $1.4bn in revenue in 2023. At the same time, the market for PC and board-based camera technologies is fragmented; as a result, standardized commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) offerings with guaranteed long-term availability open up additional market opportunities.

Presenting three application-ready solutions for a variety of different embedded vision use cases, congatec aims to give OEMs a 360-degree view of embedded computer vision technologies. The solutions underscore congatec’s extensive embedded vision expertise, which is further enhanced by the company’s support of the new NXP i.MX 8 processor technology on SMARC 2.0 and Qseven modules.