LeapMind unveils ultra low-power AI inference accelerator

Tokyo-based LeapMind introduced its “Efficiera” ultra-low power AI inference accelerator IP for companies that design ASIC and FPGA circuits, and other related products.

“Efficiera” is an ultra-low power AI Inference Accelerator IP specialized for Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)(1) inference calculation processing; it functions as a circuit in an FPGA or ASIC device. Its “extreme low bit quantization” technology, which minimizes the number of quantized bits to 1–2 bits, does not require cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing processes or the use of specialized cell libraries to maximize the power and space efficiency associated with convolution operations, which account for a majority of inference processing.

LeapMind is simultaneously launching several related products and services: “Efficiera SDK,” a software development tool providing a dedicated learning and development environment for Efficiera, the “Efficiera Deep Learning Model” for efficient training of deep learning models, and “Efficiera Professional Services,” an application-specific semi-custom model building service based on LeapMind’s expertise that enables customers to build extreme low bit quantized deep learning models applicable to their own unique requirements.