Chinese electronics company Sipeed has launched a crowdfunding campaign for a range of development boards based on a Kendryte K210 dual-core 64-bit RISC-V processor, aiming to bring artificial intelligence (AI) processing to edge devices and with pricing starting at $5 per board.
“Sipeed MAIX is the first RV64 AI board for edge computing,” the boards’ creator Sipeed explains. “It makes AI embedded to any IoT [Internet of Things] device possible. MAIX [boards] have tons of exciting features: dual-core RV64 IMAFDC, 8MB SRAM, Neural Network Processor (0.25~0.5 TOPS, supports TensorFlow Lite), APU [Audio Processing Unit], hardcore FFT [Fast Fourier Transform]… All this is in square inch, 0.3W, from $5!”
The board range, aimed at both developers and hobbyists, starts with the compact MAIX Bit at $5 early-bird, $6 standard, and $8 once the campaign has completed. Accessories include a microphone array, binocular camera, docking board, and a bundle with on-board camera. A larger development board, the MAIX GO Suite, offers additional features at $22, with an all-in-one bundle available for $45.
The company is also selling the MAIX-I Module, a castellated PCB with the processor and supporting hardware on board for use in embedded projects on custom motherboards. The modules are available with or without Wi-Fi connectivity, priced at $55 or $65 respectively.
More information on the board options can be found on the project’s Indiegogo page.