Silicon Labs launches chip with AI accelerator for connected devices, smart automation
Silicon Labs, a company specializing in connectivity solutions, has launched a new system-on-chip that combines support for short and long-range wireless connectivity as well as a built-in accelerator for AI and machine learning inference at the edge. This enables devices to be used in monitoring and maintenance applications within smart cities, where reliable and robust connectivity options are paramount.
The FG28 is purpose-built to cater to long-range networks; it includes sub-Gigahertz radio units and supports well-established connectivity protocols, including Amazon Sidewalk, Wi-SUN and various proprietary protocols that operate within the sub-GHz frequency range.
According to Silicon Labs, the FG28 hardware platform supports battery-operated applications and can be deployed in remote, hard-to-reach locations.
“By including Bluetooth, it gives users an easy way to provision and deploy new devices onto the network, while the sub-Ghz band is designed to support device communications over one mile, allowing for new edge applications in areas like smart agriculture, smart cities and neighborhood networks like Amazon Sidewalk,” says Daniel Cooley, the CTO of Silicon Labs.
The company says that the inclusion of support for Amazon Sidewalk in the FG28 hardware platform offers customers the freedom to expand their applications beyond the confines of the smart home. Amazon Sidewalk is a network that allows compatible devices such as Amazon Echo and Ring to communicate with each other using Amazon Sidewalk Bridges. It operates as a shared wireless network. The FG28 allows users to extend connectivity to diverse outdoor locations and community spaces.
Silicon Labs notes that the FG28 system-on-chip core uses the 32-bit Arm Cortex-M33, a highly efficient and powerful processor. This processor is designed to support DSP instructions and includes a floating-point unit, enabling efficient signal processing capabilities. Silicon Labs has released professional development kits and radio units to help developers fully utilize the SoC FG28.
“The FG28 SoC addresses several key needs for our customers when it comes to developing and deploying low-power wide area networks,” Cooley adds.
Power global RTC infrastructure with edge computing
Article Topics
Amazon | Bluetooth | edge AI | monitoring | Sidewalk | Silicon Labs | smart city | wireless
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