STMicroelectronics to boost AI at the
edgewith new NPU-accelerated STM32
microcontrollers
- New machine-learning capabilities make it possible to run
computer vision, audio processing, sound analysis and more consumer
and industrial applications at the edge
- STM32N6 MCU series is the most powerful in STM32 family, and
first to feature proprietary Neural-ART Accelerator™ NPU,
architected for embedded inference
- Combination of software and tools ecosystem continues to lower
the barrier to entry for developers to take advantage of
AI-accelerated performance for real-time operating systems
Geneva, Switzerland, December 10, 2024 –
STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor
leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics
applications, is making embedded artificial intelligence (AI) truly
here-to-help with a new microcontroller series integrating, for the
first time, accelerated machine-learning (ML) capabilities. This
enables cost-sensitive, power-conscious consumer and industrial
products to provide high-performance features leveraging computer
vision, audio processing, sound analysis and other algorithms,
until now beyond the capabilities of small embedded systems.
The STM32N6 microcontroller (MCU) series is ST’s most powerful
to date, and the first to embed ST’s proprietary neural processing
unit (NPU), the Neural-ART Accelerator, delivering 600 times more
machine-learning performance than a high-end STM32 MCU today. The
STM32N6 has been available to selected customers since October 2023
and is now ready to be offered in high volumes.
“We are on the verge of a significant transformation at the tiny
edge. This transformation involves the increasing augmentation or
replacement of our customers' workloads by AI models. Currently,
these models are used for tasks such as segmentation,
classification, and recognition. In the future, they will be
applied to new applications yet to be developed,” said Remi
El-Ouazzane, President, Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF
Products Group (MDRF) at STMicroelectronics. “The STM32N6
is the first STM32 product to feature our Neural-ART Accelerator
NPU. It will utilize a new release of our unique AI software
ecosystem package. This marks the beginning of a long journey of AI
hardware-accelerated STM32, which will enable innovations in
applications and products in ways not possible with any other
embedded processing solution.”
“It is a common misconception that AI is purely a big
datacenter, power hungry application,” says Tom Hackenberg,
Principal Analyst, Memory and Computing Group at Yole
Group. “This is no longer true. Today’s IoT edge
applications are hungry for the kind of analytics that AI can
provide. The STM32N6 is a great example of the new trend melding
energy-efficient Microcontroller workloads with the power of AI
analytics to provide computer vision and mass sensor driven
performance capable of great savings in the total cost of ownership
in modern equipment.”1
Comments on STM32N6 from early customers
LG is a multinational corporation known for its electronics,
chemicals, and telecommunications products, including smartphones,
home appliances, and televisions.
“The STM32N6 delivers remarkable AI performance and provides
excellent flexibility in a small silicon package ideal for embedded
systems and wearable devices. The inference speed, powered by the
groundbreaking Neural-ART Accelerator, has exceeded our
expectations and ST’s developer-friendly software tools let us
seamlessly integrate our AI models into the MCU."
Yehan Ahn, Task Leader, R&D, LG
Electronics CTO Division
Lenovo Research is the innovation and research arm of Lenovo,
focused on developing cutting-edge technologies and solutions in
areas such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing,
and smart devices.
“We have rigorously evaluated ST’s latest microcontroller,
STM32N6, in our labs, noting its outstanding neural processing
performance and excellent power efficiency. This microcontroller
represents the beginning of a new era, accelerating our research of
“AI for All” technologies at the edge.”
Seiichi Kawano, Principal Researcher,
Lenovo Research
Alps Alpine is a multinational corporation producing electronic
devices, automotive infotainment systems, and communication
devices.
“The new STM32N6 is ideal for our innovative cycling-related
products. The speed and efficiency of the Neural-ART Accelerator,
combined with extensive peripheral device expandability, lets us
create compact devices that can execute many sensor-based AI
inferences and deliver diverse and enhanced user experiences.”
Christian Fuchs, Senior Project Leader,
Alps Alpine
Carlo Gavazzi, designs and manufactures electronic control
components for the global building and industrial automation
markets.
“The STM32N6 was the missing piece in the puzzle for our latest
sensor project. Its Neural-ART Accelerator inspired us to use AI to
solve some of the challenges, which we had not considered possible
during the conceptualization phase. There are many further powerful
features, including the MIPI-CSI Raw12 interface and Arm Cortex-M55
core, which combine to provide camera and response time
capabilities that no other trusted brand can offer. Access to this
latest, high-quality technology is essential for our development of
the high-performance industrial sensors of tomorrow."
Allan Skou Thomsen, R&D Project
Leader, Carlo Gavazzi
Meta-bounds is a leading innovator in the consumer-level AR
glasses industry.
“The STM32N6 has been a breakthrough microcontroller for our
products with its high performance, power efficiency, and advanced
features. The embedded Neural-ART Accelerator, enhanced camera
interfaces and dedicated Image Signal Processor (ISP), allow us to
deliver compelling features in an ultra-lightweight and compact
form factor, enhancing the user experience without compromising
battery life. The support from STMicroelectronics ensured a smooth
development process – invaluable for companies like ours looking to
enhance wearable technology with cutting-edge AI and graphics
capabilities.”
Dr. Zhou Xing, Founding Partner of
Meta-bounds
Autotrak delivers first-class fleet management and
stolen vehicle recovery solutions. “In the trucking industry
in South Africa, around 60% of fatal accidents are blamed on
drivers being too tired behind the wheel. The STM32N6 could make a
major impact on those numbers. By allowing fast and efficient AI
inference within the vehicle we can give a real time audible
warning to the driver to prevent an upcoming incident. It can
literally save lives.”
Gavin Leask, Engineering Director,
Autotrak
Technical features and support for AI
development:
- Up to 600x
machine-learning performance vs typical high-end STM32 MCU: ST’s
Neural-ART Accelerator includes nearly 300 configurable
multiply-accumulate units achieving up to 600 giga operations per
second (GOPS).
- The most powerful
STM32 today: The STM32N6 has an 800 MHz Arm® Cortex®-M55 core,
delivering an unprecedented 3,360 CoreMark score. The MCUs are also
available in a version without the Neural-ART accelerator, for
applications requiring all the performance, interfaces and
functionality of the STM32N6, without integrating advanced AI
algorithms.
- 4.2 MB of RAM, the
largest amount ever found on an STM32: providing the memory to
support the data-intensive AI and multimedia workloads. Two 64-bit
AXI interfaces provide a high level of bandwidth to sustain the
highest computation rate and unlock the full power of the
Neural-ART Accelerator.
- ST advanced Image
Signal Processor (ISP), for the first time on an MCU: the STM32N6
incorporates an ISP that provides direct signal processing,
enabling the use of simple and affordable image sensors. This ISP
can be configured using ST's free ISP IQTune software
(STM32-ISP-IQTune), a cutting-edge tool that permits customizing
image signal processing parameters such as exposure time, contrast
or color balance.
- Supported by ST’s
Edge AI Suite: offering comprehensive software tools for the
development of edge machine-learning applications, including the
possibility to bring your own model in various formats such as
TensorFlow Lite, Keras and ONNX.
- The new
microcontroller now supports a growing model zoo of AI models,
offering enhanced performance and versatility for various
applications. Users can explore the expanding collection of AI
models to elevate their projects, achieve better results and
shorten their time to market.More technical information is
available at www.st.com/STM32N6
STM32 is a registered and/or unregistered trademark of
STMicroelectronics International NV or its affiliates in the EU
and/or elsewhere. In particular, STM32 is registered in the US
Patent and Trademark Office.
About STMicroelectronicsAt ST, we are over
50,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies mastering
the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art manufacturing
facilities. An integrated device manufacturer, we work with more
than 200,000 customers and thousands of partners to design and
build products, solutions, and ecosystems that address their
challenges and opportunities, and the need to support a more
sustainable world. Our technologies enable smarter mobility, more
efficient power and energy management, and the wide-scale
deployment of cloud-connected autonomous things. We are committed
to achieving our goal to become carbon neutral on scope 1 and 2 and
partially scope 3 by 2027. Further information can be found at
www.st.com.
For Press Information Contact:
INVESTOR RELATIONSJérôme RamelEVP Corporate
Development & Integrated External CommunicationTel:
+41.22.929.59.20jerome.ramel@st.com
MEDIA RELATIONSAlexis BretonCorporate External
CommunicationsTel: +33.6.59.16.79.08alexis.breton@st.com
1 Source: Status of the Microcontroller industry report, Yole
Intelligence, 2024
- P4665S -- Dec 10 2024 -- STM32N6 series_FINAL FOR
PUBLICATION
- P4665S -- Dec 10 2024 -- STM32N6 series_IMAGE
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