MediaTek Launches AI IoT Platform i700

Supporting high speed edge AI computation, the new platform helps facilitate the commercialization of AI IoT products

MediaTek today launched its new AI IoT platform i700, which features high speed edge AI computation for rapid image recognition. Reinforcing MediaTek’s leadership in edge AI, the i700 platform can be applied in a wide range of scenarios, including smart city, smart building and smart manufacturing. As an integrated platform encompassing CPU, GPU, ISP and a dedicated AI processing unit, it enables customers to accelerate the development of AI-enabled consumer IoT products.

Representing a new generation of MediaTek AI IoT solutions, the i700 platform is powered by an octa-core CPU, which includes two 2.2GHz ARM Cortex-A75 cores and six 2.0GHz ARM Cortex-A55 cores, operating alongside an IMG 9XM-HP8 ISP that is clocked at 970MHz. The new AI IoT platform supports CorePilot, which ensures processing resources are allocated efficiently across all cores for maximum performance and battery efficiency.

An improved AI engine comprising a dedicated dual-core AI processor, AI Accelerator and AI Face Detection Engine is embedded in the i700 platform. Combined, the new components enable the platform to perform AI computations five times faster the predecessor i500. In addition, i700 supports MediaTek’s NeuroPilot SDK. Compatible with Google’s Android Neural Networks API, it provides an open platform for customers and device manufacturers to take full advantage of common industry frameworks including TensorFlow, TF Lite, Caffe and Caffe2 when developing new applications.

Jerry Yu, Senior Corporate Vice President of MediaTek’s Intelligent Devices business unit, said, “With the arrival of 5G networks, smart devices are driving the demand for better edge AI and IoT performance. As the most direct way for us to interact with devices, image recognition technology has already been widely adopted in various industries. The latest MediaTek i700 platform is an integrated solution combining MediaTek’s wide breath of expertise such as in multimedia, wireless communications and AI. Not only does it provide our customers with a sophisticated platform to develop on, but also it underpins our efforts to support the AI IoT ecosystem for a truly hyperconnected future.”

The powerful i700 supports camera configurations of up to a single 32MP camera or a 24MP+16MP dual-camera setup. It also supports accurate, zero-latency image recognition on 30fps videos shot on a 32MP camera, as well as high speed recognition on high resolution 120fps slow motion videos. Furthermore, the upgraded tri-core ISP supports 14-bit RAW and 10-bit YUV processing, while the AI Face Detection engine enables fast facial recognition.

For connectivity, the i700 platform supports 2x2 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0. It also supports a mobile network modem of up to Cat.12, in which 4x4 MIMO and tri-band carrier aggregation ensure that customer products deliver stable and high speed connectivity.

The powerful AI recognition capability of the new i700 provides the necessary technological backbone for automated stores and facial recognition payments. Other use cases include facial biometrics access control, employee time clocks, and the obstacle detection systems in automated forklifts. The 3D human pose detection functionality on i700 enables apps to provide fitness coaching services, or alert the users when they perform dangerous poses.

The MediaTek i700 is expected to be globally available starting in 2020. For more details visit our I700 product page.