Options Widen For Optimizing IoT Designs


Creating a successful IoT design requires a deep understanding of the use cases, and a long list of tradeoffs among various components and technologies to provide the best solution at the right price point. Maximizing features and functions while minimizing costs is an ongoing balancing act, and the number of choices can be overwhelming. The menu includes SoC selection, OS and software proto... » read more

Always-On Sub-Microwatt Spiking Neural Network Based on Spike-Driven Clock- and Power-Gating for an Ultra-Low-Power Intelligent Device


Abstract: "This paper presents a novel spiking neural network (SNN) classifier architecture for enabling always-on artificial intelligent (AI) functions, such as keyword spotting (KWS) and visual wake-up, in ultra-low-power internet-of-things (IoT) devices. Such always-on hardware tends to dominate the power efficiency of an IoT device and therefore it is paramount to minimize its power diss... » read more

Always On, Always At Risk


Always-on devices are everywhere, and each of them is a potential target for hackers. While many people associate always-on devices with smart speakers such as an Amazon Alexa or Google Home, or a connected security camera, that's only one component in a system. There's a broader infrastructure behind those devices. So even if you power down a digital assistant/smart speaker, everything it's... » read more

SoC Integration Complexity: Size Doesn’t (Always) Matter


It’s common when talking about complexity in systems-on-chip (SoCs) to haul out monster examples: application processors, giant AI chips, and the like. Breaking with that tradition, consider an internet of things (IoT) design, which can still challenge engineers with plenty of complexity in architecture and integration. This complexity springs from two drivers: very low power consumption, eve... » read more

Deploying Accurate Always-On Face Unlock


Accurate face verification has long been considered a challenge due to the number of variables, ranging from lighting to pose and facial expression. This white paper looks at a new approach — combining classic and modern machine learning (deep learning) techniques — that achieves 98.36% accuracy, running efficiently on Arm ML-optimized platforms, and addressing key security issues such a... » read more

Chasing After Phantom Power


A lot of effort is being invested in power reduction techniques for mobile devices, where battery life is an important buying decision and power can translate into heat that can make a device uncomfortable to use. But are people willing to pay more for a device that consumes less power if it's plugged into a wall? And even if they are concerned about the power drawn during operation, what ab... » read more

CEVA Targets Wearables


Coinciding with the announcement of an integrated platform based on a single TeakLite-4 DSP, handling Audio/Voice, Sensor Fusion, always-on UI and Connectivity- Linley Group Mobile Chip Report, By Linley Gwennap (May 5, 2014) describes how CEVA’s new and ground breaking platform is a starter kit of hardware and software blocks that a company can use to build a processor for its wearable produ... » read more

Sensory Overload


There are two new buzzwords—always on and context-aware—that have the potential to transform devices and the way in which we use them. Both are related to smartphones at the moment, but this just the initial place where their impact is being felt. Both concepts add the potential for smartphones to become part of the Internet of Things (IoT) because they enable meaningful interactions bet... » read more