[Blog] Smart AI, Scaled for Your Edge Deployment

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly moving out of the datacenter and into the real world, powering everything from industrial robots to autonomous vehicles and smart infrastructure. Edge devices have become the new frontier for AI, driving smarter factories, safer vehicles, and more responsive cities. Meeting the needs of edge applications involves using AI that is efficient, adaptable, and scalable, since these scenarios often involve unique technical constraints and possibilities.

As AI workloads shift from centralized cloud environments to the edge, industries face new challenges:

• How do you get real-time results when every millisecond counts?
• How do you keep devices running all day on a single battery charge?
• How do you protect sensitive data when it never leaves the device?
• How do you scale and adapt AI for millions of unique deployments?

The answer isn’t to throw a massive, generic AI model at every problem. That’s like using a sledgehammer to swat a fly. Instead, the future belongs to smart, purpose-built AI that’s efficient, adaptable, and ready to scale across millions of devices.

Why Purpose-Built AI Wins at the Edge

Edge devices often need to process data and make decisions instantly, without relying on cloud connectivity. Generic, one-size-fits-all AI models are typically inefficient for these scenarios.

The latest Lattice sensAI™ solution stack (v 8.0) addresses this by providing a library of specialized, pre-trained models for tasks such as defect detection, driver monitoring, and gesture recognition. These models are efficient, easy to combine, and can be quickly adapted as needs change. And, processing happens locally, so data stays private and latency stays low.

What’s New in Lattice sensAI 8.0

Expanded Model Zoo and Topology Support

• Purpose-Built Trained Models: The latest release adds even more pre-trained models for Human-Machine Interface (HMI), multi-object detection, and quality control. Each comes with training scripts and model cards, so you can get started fast.
• Broader AI Compatibility: New AI layers and topologies support, making it easier to bring cutting-edge research to your edge devices.

Ease-of-use improvements

• Optimized Inference Flow: Higher performance and improved power efficiency achieved through enhancements to the ML compiler and inference pipeline, rather than changes to the hardware accelerator IP.
• Integrated Development Flow: The new GUI and Python API integration make it even easier to validate your models on real FPGA hardware.
• Automated FPGA Compatibility: Ready for deployment out of the box for supported models.

Flexible Deployment and Rapid Prototyping

• Streamlined RISC-V® Integration: Improved APIs and reference firmware for RISC-V-based control logic, making it easier to interface with FPGA resources and customize system-level behavior without extensive manual coding.
• YAML-Based Automation: Define and prototype new models quickly, supporting rapid iteration.
• Reference Designs: Get hands-on with end-to-end guides for object detection, multi-object detection, and more, complete with performance benchmarks.

With the latest release, Lattice sensAI offers new Lattice CrossLink™-NX, CertusPro™-NX, and Carrier System-On-Module (SoM) boards providing high-bandwidth connectivity and flexible expansion options, making them ideal for rapid prototyping and deployment. The integrated workflow allows developers to train models using frameworks like TensorFlow, Keras, or ONNX, then quantize, compile, and deploy those models on Lattice low power FPGAs, all within a unified pipeline.

Bringing Advanced AI to the Edge
The Lattice sensAI solution stack delivers reliable, real-time intelligence for factories, enhances safety and performance in vehicles, and brings instant, secure AI to smart homes and cities. This versatility is demonstrated across diverse edge environments, with industry leaders like Mitsubishi Electric combining Lattice FPGA-based AI acceleration with scalable, secure automation solutions for next-generation industrial equipment.

Building on this foundation, Lattice sensAI is designed to address the evolving demands of edge AI, whether the design goal is to create smarter factories, safer vehicles, or more responsive cities. With specialized models, flexible hardware, and a streamlined development workflow, the enhancements made to the latest version of sensAI make it easier to deploy efficient, secure, and scalable AI solutions where they are needed most.

To explore the full capabilities of Lattice sensAI, visit the sensAI webpage, and to learn more and accelerate your edge AI application development journey, contact us today.

For more information on Lattice’s edge AI FPGA solutions, please visit Lattice Edge AI page.