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American semiconductor giant Qualcomm Technologies has introduced new industrial and embedded AI platforms, as well as a micro-power Wi-Fi SoC (system on a chip). 

The announcement was made at the Embedded World Exhibition and Conference in Nuremberg, Germany, Over 35 companies, including embedded design centres, distributors, and independent software vendors, showcased solutions powered by Qualcomm processors across various sectors of robotics, manufacturing, and automotive solutions. 

The new QCC730 Wi-Fi solution and RB3 Gen 2 Platform will offer enhancements to support on-device AI, high performance, and connectivity for IoT products and applications.

According to Qualcomm, QCC730, the micro-power Wi-Fi system for IoT connectivity, provides up to 88% lower power than previous generations and can help products in battery-powered industrial and consumer applications. It will come with an open-source IDE (integrated development environment) and SDK (software development kit) to make it easier for developers to connect to the cloud while developing.

“Complementing high-performance, low-latency wireless connectivity solutions, Qualcomm QCC730 SoC is a micro-powered Wi-Fi solution enabling Wi-Fi for the world of battery-powered IoT platforms. It enables devices to support TCP/IP networking capabilities while remaining form-factor and complete wireless constrained, whilst remaining connected to the cloud platforms,” said Rahul Patel, Group General Manager of connectivity, broadband and networking (CBN), Qualcomm Technologies. 

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Additionally, Qualcomm RB3 Gen 2 Platform is designed for IoT and embedded applications featuring both hardware and software components. It delivers high-performance processing, a 10X boost in on-device AI processing, support for up to four 8MP+ camera sensors, advanced computer vision capabilities, and integrated Wi-Fi 6E, as per the company.

It is expected to be utilised in various products such as robots, drones, connected cameras, and intelligent displays.

The RB3 Gen 2 is also compatible with the newly launched Qualcomm AI Hub. This hub houses a collection of regularly updated pre-optimised AI models for enhanced on-device AI performance, reduced memory usage, and power-efficient operation. 

The US chipmaker recently acquired Foundries.io, an IoT software platform to enhance open-source capabilities and accelerate product commercialisation.

The California-headquartered company is expanding its portfolio of IoT solutions with an industrial-grade platform to address the safety, environmental, and mechanical needs of industrial applications. This platform will be certified for system integrity level, capable of operating in wide temperature ranges, and packaged for industrial deployment in both enterprise and industrial settings. 

The platform, which is expected to launch in June 2024, will include high-performance central processing units (CPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs), on-device AI capabilities, advanced camera support, and industrial I/O features.

Further, reports indicate that Qualcomm, which is renowned for its ‘Snapdragon’ series of processors for smartphones and portable computers, is now expanding its footprint in the automotive industry. It recently forged partnerships with Tata Motors, Mahindra and Mahindra, and TVS to expedite digitisation efforts in the automotive sector, reported MoneyControl.

According to the report, a spokesperson mentioned that Qualcomm’s engineering presence in India is actively developing automotive technologies and use cases to assist automotive OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and Tier I customers worldwide, including in India.