Arm debuts Neural Processing Unit and Cortex-M55

Arm introduced its first microNPU (Neural Processing Unit) for delivering machine learning for its Cortex-M processor line. The company also introduced its Cortex-M55, its most AI-capable Cortex-M processor to date and the first based on the Armv8.1-M architecture with Arm Helium vector processing technology for significantly enhanced, energy-efficient DSP and ML performance. Cortex-M55 delivers up to a 15x uplift in ML performance and a 5x uplift in DSP performance, with greater efficiency, compared to previous Cortex-M generations. Arm claims a combined 480x leap in ML performance to microcontrollers.

“Enabling AI everywhere requires device makers and developers to deliver machine learning locally on billions, and ultimately trillions of devices,” said Dipti Vachani, senior vice president and general manager, Automotive and IoT Line of Business, Arm.

“Google and Arm have been collaborating to fully optimize TensorFlow on Arm’s architecture, enabling machine learning on embedded devices for very power-constrained and cost-sensitive applications, often deployed without network connectivity. This new IP from Arm furthers our shared vision of billions of TensorFlow-enabled devices using ML at the endpoint. These devices can run neural network models on batteries for years, and deliver low-latency inference directly on the device,” states Ian Nappier, Product Manager, TensorFlow Lite for Microcontrollers, Google.

https://www.arm.com/company/news/2020/02/new-ai-technology-from-arm