New SMARC modules powered by industrial IoT solutions

SECO has released its first SMARC SoM based on Qualcomm QCS6490 and Qualcomm QCS5430 application processors. These new SMARC modules are the first results of the SECO company's strategic collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. The companies aim to help accelerate the development of innovative edge computing products for the Industrial IoT world.

The SOM-SMARC-QCS6490 simplifies using the Qualcomm QCS6490 processor, a premium-tier platform tailored for IoT. Developed with product longevity and durability in mind, the chipset supports AI and computing, has robust performance at low power, and has expanded interfaces and peripherals catering to diverse industrial use cases. The integrated Qualcomm AI Engine allows on-device ML applications featuring a fused AI-accelerator architecture, raising the total performance to 13 TOPS.

The module streamlines access to this future-oriented technology within a SMARC 2.1.1 SoM featuring Qualcomm Kryo 670 CPU housing 1x Arm Cortex-A78 @2.7GHz, 3x Arm Cortex-A78 @2.4GHz, and 4x Arm Cortex-A55 @1.9GHz. The Qualcomm Adreno 643 GPU ensures enhanced graphics performance and energy efficiency, supporting FHD+ @120fps resolution on primary and secondary displays up to 4k Ultra HD @60Hz. The 2x MIPI-CSI four-lanes and support for ISP enable a high-quality camera experience. The extended interface options include USB 3.1, USB 2.0, PCI-e Gen3 lanes, and various serial interfaces. A 2x Gigabit Ethernet interface and optional Wi-Fi and BT 5.3 represent networking capabilities. The module supports Microsoft Windows 11 IoT Enterprise, Yocto Linux, and Android, with commercial (0C to +60C) and industrial (-30C to +85C) temperature variants available.

Complementing this high-tier SoM, the company also introduced a mid-tier solution which slightly moderates CPU and GPU performance: the SOM-SMARC-QCS5430, powered by the Qualcomm QCS5430. This next-generation SoC combines premium connectivity, high-level performance, and edge AI-powered camera capabilities with the potential for feature upgrades over-the-air via software updates to unlock enhanced performance. The SoC features an Octa-core Kryo 670 CPU with 4x Arm Cortex-A78 @2.1GHz, 4x Arm Cortex-A55 @1.8GHz and a Qualcomm Adreno 642L GPU, maintaining parity with the high-end SOM-SMARC-QCS6490 in all other features. This positions it as an excellent mid-range product, balancing performance, power efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. It also supplies scope for field software-based upgrades of the CPU and GPU using the processor's capabilities.

"We are excited to introduce our new SMARC modules, the SOM-SMARC-QCS6490 and SOM-SMARC-QCS5430, in collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies. These products represent a leap forward in IoT and edge computing, showcasing our dedication to delivering superior solutions for digitalization", said Maurizio Caporali, chief product officer of SECO. "Utilising Qualcomm Technologies' state-of-the-art platforms, we offer unmatched performance and AI capabilities. This launch underscores our promise to empower clients with innovative, efficient technology for a competitive edge in the industrial IoT sector."

"The Qualcomm QCS6490 and QCS5430 processors deliver cutting-edge compute, AI and power efficiency for demanding IoT applications. The SMARC module announcement is an important milestone in our strategic collaboration with SECO," said Sebastiano Di Filippo, senior director, Business Development at Qualcomm Europe, Inc. "We are excited to support SECO to help them bring advanced edge computing and on-device AI capabilities to industries such as manufacturing, logistics, energy, healthcare, retail and more."

As with all SoM solutions from the company, the SOM-SMARC-QCS6490 and SOM-SMARC-QCS5430 come bundled with a corresponding operating system, a BSP and an SDK. This enables software developers to expedite the implementation of their applications. In addition, it is natively integrated with Clea and primed for use with SECO's software suite. Clea enhances the hardware infrastructure with various value-added services encompassing device management, remote updates, and data pipeline management, all while ensuring top-tier security standards.

embedded World, booth 1-320, from 9 to 11 April 2024.