Qualcomm Brings Advanced Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Capabilities to Address Multiple Tiers of Smart Cameras with New System-on-Chips

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, today announced the introduction of the Qualcomm® QCS610 and Qualcomm® QCS410 system-on-chips (SoCs) to the Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform. The QCS610 and QCS410 are designed to bring premium camera technology, including powerful artificial intelligence and machine learning features formerly only available to high end devices, into mid-tier camera segments. This comes at a time when intelligence at the wireless edge and robust connectivity are increasingly becoming the bar to overcome for smart camera applications in smart cities, commercial and enterprise, homes, and vehicles.

“The rise of the IoT and the associated growth in connected devices has created a shift toward the wireless edge. As we support the combination of on-device processing and multiple connectivity options for fast decision making and critical data transfer, AI becomes an even more transformative experience for businesses,” said Jeffery Torrance, vice president, business development, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “With the launch of QCS610 and QCS410, we are addressing increased customer demand for more integrated capabilities and improved AI-features with a variety of connectivity options – all in a cost-effective solution. This will allow our customers to put these exciting new capabilities to work in products from a wider range of ecosystem players.”

The QCS610 and QCS410 bring a highly integrated solution designed with multiple features to deliver a one-stop shop for our customers building camera-based devices. The new platform is built with our upgraded Qualcomm® Kryo^TM CPU, Qualcomm® Adreno^TM GPU and Qualcomm® Hexagon^TM DSP and includes our Qualcomm® Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engine designed to deliver up to 50% improved AI performance than the previous generation. This latest generation was rearchitected to deliver improved efficiencies and faster inferencing in the DSP resulting in more computing power and AI inferencing at the device level. Keeping the key workloads on the device can provide privacy and significantly reduce latency for the best user experience.

The Qualcomm Vision Intelligence Platform supports Linux and Android OS for a variety of IoT segments, including camera, Edge AI box, retail and robotics. Further enhanced capabilities include support for Microsoft Azure Machine Learning and Azure services. Dual ISPs support Video capture, Integrated audio, GNSS, hardware-based security and Qualcomm Technologies’ multiple connectivity options including 5G/4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Ethernet make this one of the most robust and advanced set of features available for non-premium smart cameras in a single SoC.

Some of the key features supported:

• Optimized Heterogenous Computing Architecture: Custom CPU, GPU and DSP design provides powerful compute capability that is engineered specifically for camera applications designed to utilize intensive processing while consuming less power.
• Superior Image Processing Support for dual 14-bit Qualcomm Spectra™ 250L ISP.
• Optimized AI Software Deployment: The Qualcomm® Neural Processing SDK completes the AI portfolio by provisioning a virtually seamless path for NN deployment. The modular tool supports varied frameworks like Caffe/Caffe2, TensorFlow/TensorFlow Lite and ONNX and performs optimized execution by utilizing the heterogeneous architecture to achieve desired performance.
• Modular Software and Support for Open Source Frameworks: Modular Linux software that can enable customizations including flexibility to build an optimal SW footprint and also extensive support for open source multimedia frameworks (GStreamer, Pulse-Audio and Wayland/Weston etc.,) and AI/ML framework (such as TF-Lite).
• Application Specific AI at the Edge Solutions: Work with an ecosystem of specialized companies to develop DNN solutions for specific AI use cases including face detection, face recognition, object tracking and people counting.  Developers can take advantage of the Qualcomm® Neural Processing SDK for their custom network deployment.

Ecosystem and Availability
The QCS610 and QCS410 are sampling now.  To accelerate development and further differentiate their products, manufacturers can rely on a strong ecosystem of technology providers that compliment or extend the value of the Qualcomm Vision Intelligence Platform series. Qualcomm Technologies is collaborating with original device manufacturers (ODMs), independent software vendors (ISVs), authorized design centers and distributors for the reference platforms and Development Kits.

Altek
"We look forward to continuing our long-standing strategic collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies.  The new QCS610 and QCS410 SoC brings our Edge Vision AI series including AI camera and AI box to the next level by offering new experiences to our customers with extremely efficient AI inferencing across different edge vision AI applications" said Alex Hsia, Founder & CEO, Altek.

A Qualcomm QCS610-based camera reference design hardware development kit from Altek Corporation, a leading original design manufacturer for edge AI cameras, is expected to be available in Q3 2020.

Arrow Electronics
“With the addition of Qualcomm Technologies’ Compute and Vision Intelligent IoT Chipsets, including the latest QCS610/410, Arrow Electronics can now offer Qualcomm Technologies’ scalable highly integrated embedded computing platforms to the mass market,” said Aiden Mitchell, vice president, supplier & engineering services. “The Qualcomm Technologies’ offering combined with our engineering services allow customers to innovate, transform and scale through powerful edge intelligence.”

eInfochips
“Over the last 25-plus years, eInfochips has developed over 500 products with embedded MPUs. Our solutions, SOMs, SBCs and chipdown designs based, on the Qualcomm® Snapdragon^TM mobile platform, have given customers across the world an opportunity to accelerate their product development. We are confident that the launch of QCS610/410, our ability to address manufacturing and certification requirements, and global support leveraging the Arrow sales and FAE team, will enhance the already competitive portfolio of offerings,” said Parag Mehta, chief business development officer at eInfochips. “To strengthen our offerings on connected IoT solutions, digital transformation, and Arrow connected IoT solutions, eInfochips will be launching modules and development kits based on the QCS410 and QCS610 processors. With Arrow being a global distributor of IoT chipsets, eInfochips will support custom product design, development and manufacturing on these latest chipsets.”

Lantronix
“Lantronix’s Open-Q™ 610 μSOM is an ultra-compact (50mm x 25mm) production-ready SOM based on the powerful QCS610 SoC. This advanced SOM is aimed at connected visual intelligence applications with high resolution camera capabilities, on-device AI processing, and native Ethernet interface,” said Jonathan Shipman, VP of Strategy at Lantronix Inc. “Our long and successful relationship with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. enables us to deliver powerful SOM solutions that can accelerate IoT design and implementation, empowering innovators to create IoT applications that go beyond their wildest dreams.”

Pilot AI
"Pilot AI, using Qualcomm Technologies’ solutions, delivers superior AI performance directly on-device. The QCS610 SoC is an exciting step forwards in compute, and Pilot AI has been able to leverage the Hexagon DSP to improve overall inference speed while also maximizing power efficiency when performing AI/ML workloads. We look forward to the new use cases this will enable at the edge" said Jon Su, CEO of Pilot AI.

For more information about Pilot AI’s products, please visit www.pilot.ai.

Security & Safety Things
“Having Qualcomm Technologies as a key player in the Security & Safety Things ecosystem together with the other Open Security and Safety Alliance members is a great benefit,” said Justin Frints, VP Operating Systems at Security & Safety Things. “With launch of the new QCS610, now we can combine the flexibility that is offered by our camera application store with powerful neural network computing on security cameras. This can allow end-users to leverage AI enablement with machine learning to drive multi sensor use cases and true IoT deployments where cameras are able to communicate and cooperate with one another. Thus, superior technology proved by Qualcomm Technologies and Security & Safety Things will continue to open doors to new advanced use cases with their newest chipsets for security cameras that will likely change entire industries.”

Sercomm
 “As a leading supplier of IP cameras in the market, Sercomm has invested in IP camera product development for more than two decades and has accumulated great experience in this domain,” said Ben Lin, CTO of Sercomm. “QCS610 offers superior data and image processing power and also comes with strong video analytic capability that is perfect for industrial and enterprise market segments that needs to stream 4K grade of high-resolution video and make real-time intelligent decision at the edge. Sercomm is delighted to work with Qualcomm Technologies to offer more high-end IP cameras in the market.”

Thundercomm
“Thundercomm and Qualcomm Technologies have a long history of collaboration to deliver new and cutting-edge technologies and IoT products,” said Hiro Cai, CEO of Thundercomm. “Based on the newly launched QCS610/410 SoC, Thundercomm has introduced the commercial-ready TurboX C610/C410 SOM and reference design enabling developers and manufacturers to quickly develop smart camera and intelligent IoT devices across consumer and enterprise applications, including video conference, surveillance cameras, enterprise security, 360 cameras, dash cams and wearable cameras. In addition, C610/ C410 SOM has been integrated with Thundercomm TurboX Edge Framework, which enables an easy, secure and high-performance camera connection and AI analysis.”

TurboX C610 SoM is available now. Visit Thundercomm product page for more information on TurboX C610/410. 

Tymphany
“Tymphany, a worldwide leader in audio ODM services, is working with Qualcomm Technologies to bring to the market an integrated audio/video conferencing platform leveraging the QCS610 SoC. The QCS610 allows us to architect a cost optimized, single SoC solution for all audio, video, and optical processing.  Based on the QCS610 AI capabilities, Tymphany is also running face and body detection algorithms to enable advanced auto-framing for a superior video collaboration experience for the user.  The QCS610 can also enable a low-latency architecture that is critical to enable certifications for today’s leading video collaboration software applications like MS Teams,” said Phil McPhee, Vice President Professional Audio Division, Tymphany.  “With the launch of the QCS610, we will bring unique value to the video collaboration product categories.”

For more information on Tymphany’s video collaboration platforms visit www.tymphany.com/contact.

WNC
“WNC is excited to move several QCS610-based designs into full production in 2020,” said Johnson Hsu, GM of WNC’s Connected Home Business Group. “WNC looks forward to our customers rolling out intelligent and resource-efficient video telematics solutions at an ever-increasing pace. Our relationship with Qualcomm Technologies is gaining some very positive momentum.”

Qualcomm Vision Intelligence Platform
The Qualcomm Vision Intelligence Platform is a platform for the internet of things that fully utilizes the emerging power of AI/machine learning, edge intelligence, and the cloud. Drawing upon Qualcomm Technologies’ proven mobile heritage, the Qualcomm Vision Intelligence Platform is purpose-built for the unique requirements of the IoT and optimized in application-specific configurations for IP cameras, dash cams, 360/VR cameras, video conferencing, and more.

About Qualcomm
Qualcomm is the world’s leading wireless technology innovator and the driving force behind the development, launch, and expansion of 5G.  When we connected the phone to the internet, the mobile revolution was born.  Today, our foundational technologies enable the mobile ecosystem and are found in every 3G, 4G and 5G smartphone.  We bring the benefits of mobile to new industries, including automotive, the internet of things, and computing, and are leading the way to a world where everything and everyone can communicate and interact seamlessly.

Qualcomm Incorporated includes our licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of our patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of our engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of our products and services businesses, including our QCT semiconductor business.

***

Qualcomm, Snapdragon, Kryo, Adreno, Hexagon and Qualcomm Spectra are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries.

Qualcomm Snapdragon, Qualcomm Vision Intelligence Platform, Qualcomm QCS610, Qualcomm QCS410, Qualcomm AI Engine, Qualcomm Kryo, Qualcomm Adreno, Qualcomm Hexagon, Qualcomm Neural Processing Engine and Qualcomm Spectra are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.