Edge computing products make impact at CES 2021 trade show

A wide range of markets will be impacted by the developments, and as usual with CES, so many announcements came during the show that it is impossible to track every single item. Edge Industry Review listed a few of the items of note, which range across many of the Layers of edge computing, from processors to edge devices to cloud-connected services enhanced by data from the edge.

Transportation

The show kicked off with a virtual keynote from Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg. Among Verizon’s announcements: Skyward, a Verizon company, and UPS Flight Forward are working together to use 4G LTE to control drones for retail delivery services, with 5G testing and integration on the roadmap. collaborative efforts to deliver retail products with drones connected to Verizon 4G LTE, as well as 5G testing and integration for delivery.

Other transportation-related news:

– AGE showcased a Li-Ion battery for automotive and e-bike systems which leverages edge computing on the battery for energy management.

– Thundercomm revealed its newest “e-cockpit” solution based on Qualcomm chips which will enable upgradeable digital interfaces for vehicles while supporting autonomous driving functions, such as autonomous parking, through the reuse of the cockpit’s processing power.

Healthcare

CES has long been a showcase for new TVs and home entertainment electronics, but a growing number of companies are introducing healthcare tech at the show. Among the edge-related announcements:

– CarePLUS.ai introduced a video monitoring system with edge AI that assists with everything from assisting with meal and ride ordering to fall detection Healthcare for seniors with edge AI, video.

– Anticipating the availability of a growing market for over the counter (OTC) hearing aids that can be purchased without prescriptions, RelaJet announced a product that combines the use of Qualcomm chips at the device edge (the hearing aid) and Microsoft Azure for cloud-based updates of speech enhancement, music services, and integrated call functions. Azure services will also be used for assisting with operating hearing tests and device calibration.

Agriculture

Another ‘field’ for tech startups at CES: agriculture.

– John Deere demonstrated tractors that are using edge AI, computer vision, and robotics to plant crops more efficiently.

– Indoor agriculture needs smart lighting, which is what Agromeans is doing with its proprietary LED lighting technology. Edge AI is used to control the timing and intensity of lighting to provide for faster plant growth while using less energy in indoor farm settings.

Smart and secure edge hardware

There were a number of announcements around edge hardware that can be used in a wide array of applications. Among the developments:

– GrAI Matter Labs demonstrated its edge AI chips for responsive visual inferencing.

– FiduciaEdge introduced edge servers built around technologies such as Trusted Rich Execution Environment (T-REE), certified container applications, and data isolation. The company says its products will be deployed in 20,000 smart street lamps in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other countries in the next three years.

– Blaize demonstrated its Pathfinder and Xplorer edge AI platforms along with software for developing AI applications in manufacturing, automobility, smart city and retail settings.

Those who are interested in these and other developments can still visit the CES 2021 website and see virtual exhibits and listen to archived keynote presentations and panel discussions.

Article Topics

5G  |  AGE  |  Agromeans  |  autonomous vehicles  |  Azure  |  Blaize  |  CarePLUS.ai RelaJet  |  edge AI  |  edge hardware  |  FiduciaEdge  |  GrAI Matter Labs  |  healthcare  |  John Deere  |  Skyward  |  Smart Ag  |  Thundercomm  |  UPS  |  Verizon