Propelling Kerala’s foray into exciting emergent technologies, Digital University Kerala has designed the State’s first silicon-proven artificial intelligence (AI) chip – Kairali AI Chip.
The chip leverages unique features to deliver capabilities such as speed, power efficiency and scalability. It is touted to contribute its edge intelligence (or edge AI) in a wide array of areas including agriculture, aerospace, mobile phone and automobile industries, drones and security.
Kairali AI Chip | Photo Credit: TH
The integrated circuit has been designed by a team led by Dean (Academics) Alex P. James at the AI Chip Centre that functions at the Digital University Kerala.
The development, Prof. James asserted, not only highlights the university’s excellence in technological research, but also its role in shaping future technological advancements. Digital University Kerala has charted plans to unveil more such dedicated chips capable of shaping the future.
“Kairali AI Chip facilitates edge intelligence, which allows the complete storage and processing of information from the sensory circuits with minimum power and latency, which helps in offloading cloud computations. The chip’s potential applications are vast and varied, impacting several key industries,” he said.
In the agriculture sector, the chip can revolutionise precision farming techniques by enabling real-time monitoring of crop health, soil conditions and environmental factors, and thereby pave the way for more efficient use of resources and better crop yields.
The device also holds immense potential in the mobile phone industry by significantly improving the efficiency and performance of smartphones. It is also capable of enabling advanced features like real-time language translation, enhanced image processing and AI-powered personal assistants.
According to the lead scientist, the chip can also augment the capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and satellites by providing advanced processing power for navigation, data collection and real-time decision-making, all while consuming minimal powers. For drones, the design promises enhanced navigation and autonomous decision-making capabilities that are crucial for applications ranging from delivery services to environmental monitoring.
Prof. James pointed out the chip can also become a game-changer for autonomous vehicles by providing the necessary computing power for real-time processing of sensory information which is crucial for safe and efficient autonomous driving. In addition, its edge computing capability can enable faster and efficient facial recognition algorithms, threat detection and real-time analytics in security and surveillance.
Published - January 21, 2024 07:34 pm IST
