Hi Proga,So they can't use MetaTF to convert into digital?
Yeah I read that bit. What's the significance of Sony being included?
Qualcomm has their own analog SNN so, in that sense, Akida would only be duplicating the function of the Qualcomm SNN.
There is a parallel discussion on this thread about Sony/Prophesee
https://www.prophesee.ai/2021/09/09/sony-event-based-vision-sensors-prophesee-co-development/
Atsugi, Japan — Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (“Sony”) today announced the upcoming release of two types of stacked event-based vision sensors. These sensors designed for industrial equipment are capable of detecting only subject changes, and achieve the industry’s smallest*1 pixel size of 4.86μm.
These two sensors were made possible through a collaboration between Sony and Prophesee, by combining Sony’s CMOS image sensor technology with Prophesee’s unique event-based vision sensing technology. This enables high-speed, high-precision data acquisition and contributes to improve the productivity of the industrial equipment.
But the BrainChip/Prophesee engagement is much more recent,
https://www.prophesee.ai/2022/06/20/brainchip-partners-with-prophesee/
Laguna Hills, Calif. – June 14, 2022 – BrainChip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN, OTCQX: BRCHF, ADR: BCHPY), the world’s first commercial producer of neuromorphic AI IP, and Prophesee, the inventor of the world’s most advanced neuromorphic vision systems, today announced a technology partnership that delivers next-generation platforms for OEMs looking to integrate event-based vision systems with high levels of AI performance coupled with ultra-low power technologies.
Since the Sony commitment to Snapdragon 8 gen 2 has been announced, then, assuming there is a binding contract, Sony could be stuck with Qualcomm AI for the term of the contract. Snapdragon 8 gen 2 is a chipset, so is not sold as IP
https://pocketnow.com/snapdragon-8-gen-2-phones/
The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will debut on these phones
Qualcomm unveiled its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor recently, and OEMs are ready to release their devices based on the new flagship chipset.BYSANUJ BHATIA
PUBLISHED 1 DAY AGO
“The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform will define a new standard for connected computing, intelligently engineered with groundbreaking AI across the board to enable extraordinary experiences. This new mobile platform will be adopted by global OEMs and brands including ASUS Republic of Gamers, HONOR, iQOO, Motorola, nubia, OnePlus, OPPO, REDMAGIC, Redmi, SHARP, Sony Corporation, vivo, Xiaomi, XINGJI/MEIZU, and ZTE, with the first commercial devices expected by the end of 2022.”
Since the Sony commitment to Snapdragon 8 gen 2 has been announced, then, assuming there is a binding contract, Sony could be stuck with Qualcomm AI for the term of the contract. Snapdragon 8 gen 2 is a chipset, so is not sold as IP.
Of course, this may be contingent on the outcome of the ARM/Qualcomm litigation.
https://www.theregister.com/2022/11/15/qualcomm_snapdragon_8_gen_2/?td=readmore
Qualcomm pushes latest Arm-powered Snapdragon chip amid bitter license fight
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 system-on-chip features eight off-the-shelf cores from Arm, which is locked in a bitter legal fight with Qualcomm over licenses and contracts....
This includes an AI acceleration engine that is, we're told, up to 4.35 times faster than the previous generation, and with a potential 60 percent increase in performance-per-watt, depending on how it's used. This unit can be used to speed up machine-learning tasks on the device without any outside help, such as object recognition, and real-time spoken language translation and transcription. The dual-processor engine can handle as low as INT4 precision for AI models that don't need a lot of precision but do need it done fast on battery power, which the 4-bit integer format can afford developers, according to Qualcomm.
Qualcomm is pushing the INT4 capabilities as a precision ideal for modern mobile apps. It said a cross-platform Qualcomm AI Studio is due to be made available in preview form in the first half of next year that will optimize developers' models for this precision as well as other formats. This studio looks like a typical IDE in which programmers can organize their training workflows.
...
The SoC supports up to 200MP image capture and 8K HDR video capture in 10-bit HDR, according to the specifications. Qualcomm said it worked with Samsung and Sony to develop large sensors that the 8 Gen 2 can handle. There are direct paths in the chip that link the Hexagon AI engines to, say, the image-processing units so that pictures and video can be manipulated more efficiently.
The processor, according to Qualcomm, can also be made to reduce the amount of data read and written during neural network inference – which saves power – by breaking input data into not just tiles as other chipsets do, but micro tiles that apparently do a better job of cutting down information transfer.
On the plus side, if Sony/Prophesee had been working with Snapdragon 8 gen 2, then Prophesee's recent endorsement of Akida speaks volumes for the comparative performance of Akida and Snapdragon 8 gen 2's AI analog SNN.
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