TI Rolls Out Vision-Analysis Processors

Texas Instruments has launched Arm-based embedded processors for video analysis. They integrate the company’s proven C7x DSP and matrix unit to accelerate AI.

Joseph Byrne

Texas Instruments developed a portfolio of processors for AI-based image processing, applying technology from its Jacinto 7 line. Employing Arm CPUs, the portfolio targets industrial as well as consumer systems and includes the AM62A, AM68A, and AM69A.

An important feature of all three products is TI’s AI accelerator, indicated by an A suffix. Complementing it are various multimedia functions. In the AM62A, quad Cortex A53 CPUs handle application processing. The AM68A and AM69A employ the more powerful Cortex A72. The former has two of these cores; the latter, eight. The AM69A offers more-extensive Ethernet and PCI features.

All AM6xA models include functional-safety features and support extended temperatures (–40°C to +125°C). TI offers software and a model zoo to facilitate AI-application development. Fabricated in a 16 nm process, all three are sampling, and the company expects them to qualify for production in 4Q23. Price ranges from $12 to $150.

TI uses the AM68A and AM69A names for nonautomotive markets. For automotive, they sell under different names, such as the TDA4VL and TDA4VH. Target AM68A and AM69A applications include robotics, machine vision, video recorders (e.g., for surveillance), and other systems that perform video analysis. The AM62A addresses a wider variety, including industrial, consumer, and automotive applications such as machine vision, video doorbells, and dash cams, respectively.

Fielding three processors at once, TI has quickly built an AI-accelerated embedded-processing portfolio. Customers developing new video-analysis designs will find these chips upgrade performance compared with previous TI Sitara and Jacinto processors. The portfolio is also likely to attract customers that employ competing Arm processors and develop families of AI-enabled systems addressing multiple price tiers.