AMD Powers AI Track Inspection Solution for Japanese Bullet Train Operator JR Kyushu
- AMD collaborates with JR Kyushu to improve track inspection speed, cost, and accuracy using AI technology.
- The AMD Kria™ K26 SOM-powered vision AI box enables high-speed image processing for efficient track inspection.
- JR Kyushu chooses AMD-powered solution from Tokyo Artisan Intelligence (TAI) to detect and inspect track issues, enhancing operational efficiency.
- The AI-based solution replaces traditional foot inspections, ensuring compliance with Japan's rigorous railway safety standards.
- The vision computing box attached to a cart inspects tracks at 12 mph, utilizing the FPGA-based Kria K26 SOM for AI-enhanced processing.
- AMD Kria SOMs offer programmability, durability, and embedded intelligence, making them adaptable to changing natural conditions and future-proofing investments.
- The partnership demonstrates how edge AI computing can automate processes and enhance operational efficiency in various applications, from machine vision to industrial robotics.
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Insights
The implementation of AMD's Kria K26 SOM in JR Kyushu's railway track inspection processes represents a significant advancement in the use of AI and edge computing within the transportation industry. This development is not only expected to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of track inspections but also to reduce costs associated with traditional manual inspections. The shift towards automated solutions is a growing trend in the industry and AMD's entry into this space could potentially open up new markets for their products.
From a market perspective, such innovations can be a strong selling point for AMD's embedded solutions, potentially increasing their market share in the AI and industrial automation sectors. The ability to adapt to changing conditions and future-proof investments is particularly valuable for transportation infrastructure, which is subject to constant wear and natural environmental changes. This adaptability could become a key differentiator for AMD in competitive bids for similar projects globally.
AMD's announcement of its collaboration with JR Kyushu is indicative of the company's strategic expansion into specialized AI applications. The financial implications of this move could be substantial, as it represents a diversification of AMD's revenue streams beyond its traditional semiconductor business. The adoption of AMD's technology by a high-profile client like JR Kyushu may serve as a proof of concept, potentially leading to increased investor confidence and a positive impact on AMD's stock valuation.
Furthermore, the cost savings and efficiency improvements for JR Kyushu could translate into a strong case study for AMD to leverage in marketing its Kria K26 SOM to other businesses in the transportation sector. As these types of AI solutions become more prevalent, AMD could see a significant growth opportunity in a niche but rapidly expanding market.
The technical aspects of the AMD Kria K26 SOM, such as its FPGA-based design and embedded intelligence, are critical for real-time image processing at high speeds. The Kria K26 SOM's integration of a custom-built AMD Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC with various memory and storage components is an example of the increasing convergence of hardware and software in AI applications. The ability to perform pre-and-post data and image processing at the edge reduces latency and enhances the capability to respond to dynamic environments in real-time.
AMD's strategy to offer a compact, all-in-one embedded platform that can be easily updated to meet changing conditions is a testament to the evolving nature of edge computing. The technology's durability and programmability are essential for applications like railway track inspections, where equipment is exposed to harsh conditions and must perform consistently. The success of this deployment could influence the broader adoption of similar technologies in other industrial and infrastructure settings.
— AMD Kria™ K26 SOM-powered vision AI box processes camera images at high speeds to inspect tracks more efficiently —
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) today announced that JR Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu), a Japanese bullet train operator, is using the AMD Kria™ K26 System-on-Module (SOM) to automate track inspection. This AI-based solution replaces traditional methods of inspecting miles of track on foot, creating significant efficiencies by improving the inspection speed, cost and accuracy to meet Japan’s stringent railway safety requirements.
JR Kyushu bullet trains operate across an enormous territory of more than 1,455 miles of railroad tracks, with trains traveling at speeds of up to 161 mph. Safety is the company’s number-one priority, requiring diligent track inspections carried out at specified intervals.
To increase the efficiency and accuracy of assessments, JR Kyushu chose an AMD-powered solution from Tokyo Artisan Intelligence (TAI), which uses high-speed image processing and advanced AI capabilities to detect and inspect loose bolts and other track issues.
“With the new solution from TAI and AMD, we were able to improve the efficiency of conventional track inspection, and we anticipate further improvements in inspection efficiency through future functional enhancements,” said Kazuhiro Sakaguchi, deputy manager in the Engineering Division, Shinkansen Department at JR Kyushu.
At the heart of the track inspection solution is a vision computing box attached to a cart that inspects tracks at speeds of 12 mph. The box features a high-speed camera that uses the FPGA-based Kria K26 SOM for AI-enhanced pre-and-post data and image processing. The Kria K26 SOM is a compact, all-in-one embedded platform that integrates a custom-built AMD Zynq™ UltraScale+™ MPSoC with DDR memory, nonvolatile storage devices, a security module, and an aluminum thermal heat spreader.
“The most important benefit of AI in this case was reduction of cost,” said Hiroki Nakahara, co-founder and CEO of TAI. “Replacing the conventional method of inspecting tracks on foot with carts has led to a dramatic improvement in operational efficiency.”
The programmability, durability, and embedded intelligence of the AMD Kria SOM-powered solution also make it adaptable to the unique and changing conditions, geographies, and needs of JR Kyushu’s territory and ridership. Since railways are installed in a natural environment, the ability to update the Kria SOM to suit the daily changing natural conditions is critical and helps future-proof investments.
“AMD Kria SOMs are accelerating innovation at the edge and simplifying solution development through deployment,” said Chetan Khona, senior director of Industrial, Vision, Healthcare and Sciences Markets, AMD. “JR Kyushu is a perfect example of how the endless programmability of Kria SOMs, combined with edge AI computing, can automate processes and dramatically enhance operational efficiency across a variety of applications, from machine vision to industrial robotics and AI/ML computing.”
Supporting Resources
- Read the AMD and JR Kyushu customer case study here
- Learn more about the AMD KRIA K26 SOM
- Become a fan of AMD on Facebook
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About AMD
For more than 50 years AMD has driven innovation in high-performance computing, graphics, and visualization technologies. Billions of people, leading Fortune 500 businesses, and cutting-edge scientific research institutions around the world rely on AMD technology daily to improve how they live, work, and play. AMD employees are focused on building leadership high-performance and adaptive products that push the boundaries of what is possible. For more information about how AMD is enabling today and inspiring tomorrow, visit the AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) website, blog, LinkedIn, and Twitter pages.
AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, Kria, UltraScale+, Zynq, and combinations thereof are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Contact:
Mike Sanchez
AMD Communications
(209) 262-7458
m.sanchez@amd.com
Suresh Bhaskaran
AMD Investor Relations
+1 408-749-2845
Suresh.Bhaskaran@amd.com
FAQ
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