Renesas RZ/VM microprocessor with vision-optimised AI accelerator

Renesas Electronics has introduced the RZ/V series of microprocessors (MPUs) featuring DRP-AI (Dynamically Reconfigurable Processor), the company’s vision-optimised artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator. The first product in the series, the RZ/V2M, is designed to deliver a combination of real-time AI inference and power efficiency in embedded devices.

The higher power consumption and heat generation required for AI processing are introducing challenges for embedded developers. The RZ/V2M leverages the DRP-AI’s power efficiency to realise power consumption as low as 4 W (typ). This eliminates the need for heat sinks and cooling fans, simplifying heat dissipation measures. This enables the MPU to be used in compact devices or help to minimise equipment sizes, expanding the opportunities to incorporate AI in embedded devices.

The product also features an imaging signal processor (ISP) capable of processing high-resolution 4K pixels at 30 fps. The ISP employs high dynamic range (HDR) functionality capable of handling images with large differences between brightness and darkness, noise reduction functionality and distortion correction functionality to boost precision in AI recognition. This ensures the ability to produce clear images regardless of factors such as the weather, the time of day and the installation location.

With these integrated features, the series should expand the range of AI applications in embedded devices through object recognition eg, cameras in smart shopping cart systems that automatically calculate totals based on the cart items, robots in factories that can safely work together with humans and medical cameras that assist doctors in making diagnoses.