Synaptics Expands into Low Power Edge AI Applications with New Katana Platform

Rhea-AI Summary

Synaptics has launched the Katana Edge AI platform in partnership with Eta Compute to target the demand for battery-powered devices in the IoT market. This platform integrates low-power SoC architecture with efficient AI software, optimizing for various applications like object recognition and environmental sensing. The Katana features a multi-core processor and is designed for low latency. Co-optimized with TENSAI Flow software, the platform aims to accelerate deployment through application-focused kits, enhancing innovation in a multi-billion dollar market.

Positive

• Launch of the Katana Edge AI platform expands Synaptics' offerings in the AI-enhanced battery-powered device market.
• Partnership with Eta Compute provides access to advanced AI software, enhancing product capabilities.
• The platform is optimized for a wide range of ultra-low power use cases, increasing potential market reach.
• Application-focused kits will facilitate quicker deployment, attracting more developers and clients.

Negative

• None.

Partners with Eta Compute to address industry gaps for AI-enriched battery powered devices

SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Synaptics^® Incorporated (Nasdaq: SYNA), today announced the Katana Edge AI^™ platform, addressing a growing industry gap for solutions that enable battery powered devices for consumer and industrial IoT markets. The platform combines Synaptics’ proven low power SoC architecture with energy-efficient AI software, enabled by a partnership with Eta Compute. The Katana solution is optimized for a wide range of ultra-low power use cases in edge devices for office buildings, retail, factories, farms and smart homes. Typical applications include people or object recognition and counting, visual, voice or sound detection, asset or inventory tracking and environmental sensing.

The Most Power Efficient Edge AI Silicon
Katana features a multi-core processor architecture optimized for ultra-low-power and low latency voice, audio and vision applications. The full system SoC combines proprietary power and energy optimized neural network and domain specific processing cores, significant on-chip memory, and extensive use of multiple architectural techniques that save power for each unique mode of operation. The Katana Edge AI platform can be combined with Synaptics’ market-leading wireless connectivity offerings to provide complete system level modules and solutions.

The Most Power Efficient Edge AI Software
The growing demand for efficiency in battery operated devices requires software optimization techniques tightly coupled to the underlying silicon. As a result, Synaptics’ Katana SoC will be co-optimized with Eta Compute’s TENSAI^® Flow software to create a complete platform that combines the industry’s most efficient AI compiler with an extensive set of performance and power optimized libraries.

The Fastest Time to Deployment
Synaptics will be working with Eta Compute to offer application focused kits that speed development and deployment. The kits will include pre-trained machine learning models and reference designs, while also enabling users to train the models with their own datasets using industry-standard frameworks such as TensorFlow, Caffe and ONNX.

“Today, there is growing demand for edge intelligence in devices that perform video-, audio- or voice-based detection and classification. However, there are significant gaps in the availability of power efficient solutions and the expertise to effectively program them,” said Satish Ganesan, Chief Strategy Officer at Synaptics. “The combination of Synaptics’ Katana platform and Eta Compute’s TENSAI flow software addresses these gaps while significantly growing our opportunity in a multi-billion dollar market.”

“The combination of Synaptics’ ultra-low-power silicon and Eta Compute’s power- and cost-optimized software will become a catalyst for customer innovation,” said Dr. Ted Tewksbury, CEO of Eta Compute. “Together, the optimized solution will enable the proliferation of AI edge inferencing in a wide range of existing applications, as well as new applications that were never thought to be possible.”

About Synaptics Incorporated:
Synaptics (Nasdaq: SYNA) is changing the way humans engage with connected devices and data, engineering exceptional experiences throughout the home, at work, in the car and on the go. Synaptics is the partner of choice for the world’s most innovative intelligent system providers who are integrating multiple experiential technologies into platforms that make our digital lives more productive, insightful, secure and enjoyable. These customers are combining Synaptics’ differentiated technologies in touch, display and biometrics with a new generation of advanced connectivity and AI-enhanced video, vision, audio, speech and security processing. Follow Synaptics on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, or visit synaptics.com.

Synaptics, and the Synaptics logo are trademarks of Synaptics in the United States and/or other countries. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contact:
Synaptics
David Hurd
+1-408-904-2766
david.hurd@synaptics.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/78311bef-3b03-4c8c-a49a-c7c8ddff6b63.

FAQ

What is the Katana Edge AI platform announced by Synaptics (SYNA)?

The Katana Edge AI platform is a new solution that combines low-power SoC architecture with energy-efficient AI software, targeting battery-powered devices in IoT markets.

How does the partnership with Eta Compute benefit Synaptics (SYNA)?

The partnership with Eta Compute enhances Synaptics' product offerings by integrating advanced AI software, which optimizes the performance of their Katana platform.

What applications can the Katana Edge AI platform support?

The platform supports applications such as object recognition, environmental sensing, asset tracking, and audio detection, among others.

When was the Katana Edge AI platform launched?

The Katana Edge AI platform was launched on December 15, 2020.

How does the Katana Edge AI platform improve deployment for developers?

Synaptics offers application-focused kits that include pre-trained models and reference designs, helping developers speed up the deployment of their applications.