QuickLogic subsidiary SensiML, a developer of AI tools for building IoT endpoints, has teamed with German electronics company Infineon to deliver AI and machine learning for its PSoC 6 microcontrollers (MCUs) and the sensors they support.

The collaboration combines SensiML’s analytics toolkit AI development software with the Infineon ModusToolboxand low-power dual-core PSoC 6 MCUs, offering developers a quick and easy way to record data from Infineon Xensiv sensors, create AI and ML-based models, and implement them on PSoC 6 MCUs.

Using this approach, designers with little to no data science expertise can add local intelligence to their IoT designs for smart home, industrial, fitness and other applications.

SensiML and Infineon are marking the beginning of the collaboration with a “Build AI for the IoT Design Challenge” on Hackster.io. The contest will challenge innovators to use the SensiML data analytics toolkit and Infineon ModusToolbox software along with Xensiv sensors, wifi or Bluetooth connectivity ICs, and PSoC 6 MCUs to capture and label sensor data, train AI and ML models, and deploy the result on a PSoC 6 MCU to create intelligent endpoint applications.

The goal of the challenge is to highlight how quick and easy it is for developers to use the complete end-to-end development platform provided by the two companies to implement local, low power, AI-based IoT edge devices.

The SensiML analytics toolkit uses labelled datasets to create efficient AI models and allows developers to use them to implement smart, high performance edge algorithms without the need for hand coding or data science expertise. This toolkit complements the PSoC 6 family, which is based on a low-power architecture suitable for battery-powered edge IoT applications.

The PSoC 6 family features dual-core Arm Cortex-M4 and M0+ processors, which enable design partitioning for simultaneous power and performance design optimisation. The dual-core architecture also enables users to run their AI application generated by the SensiML tools on one processor and their application code on the other.

“Infineon has a large and loyal following for their innovative and extensive sensors, MCUs, and associated development tools,” said Chris Rogers, chief executive officer of SensiML. “SensiML complements that offering with AI and ML tools that make it easy for developers to add sophisticated AI functions in a small memory footprint with ultra-low power consumption. With AutoML support covering a broad array of sensor inputs, SensiML is ideal for IoT edge processing across Infineon’s Xensiv portfolio.”

Steve Tateosian, vice president at Infineon, added: “SensiML offers a quick and easy path for our PSoC 6 MCU, connectivity and sensor customers to add low-power, local intelligence to their edge IoT applications. Through our mutual collaboration, we can now offer a complete suite of software and hardware development tools and products, enabling developers and Hackathon participants to create next-generation smart endpoint IoT devices for a wide range of end uses.”

Oregon-based SensiML provides software that enables low-power IoT endpoints that implement AI to transform raw sensor data into meaningful insight at the device itself.

• Infineon has acquired an NFC patent portfolio from France Brevets and Verimatrix. Infineon is now the sole owner of this portfolio, which consists of nearly 300 patents in various countries. All patents are related to near field communication (NFC) technologies, either embedded in an IC such as active load modulation or that enhance NFC usability at the user level. The portfolio was previously monetised by France Brevets. It is now integrated into Infineon’s patent administration.

“With this acquisition, Infineon further strengthens its IP and technology portfolio, specifically in our leadership markets for security and connectivity for the IoT,” said Thomas Rosteck, president of Infineon’s connected secure systems division. “This expansion of our own patent portfolio highlights the excellent company positioning and its continuous investment in technology spanning several verticals. The acquired patents will not only increase our visibility in connectivity and IoT but is another step towards our IP leadership in device authentication.”