As the robotics ecosystem grows, so does the need to process data onboard autonomous systems. Syslogic Datentechnik AG today announced that it is offering three embedded systems based on the new NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX system on module, or SoM. The Baden-Dattwil, Switzerland-based company said they are ruggedized for use in demanding environmental conditions.
The latest member of the NVIDIA Jetson product family, the Jetson Orin NX 16GB has 100 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) of computing power and 16GB RAM. This is three times the performance of the NVIDIA Jetson AGX Xavier, noted Syslogic.
The SoM is smaller than a credit card and consumes only 10 to 25 watts of power, the company added. This combination of form factor, performance, and energy efficiency opens the door for a new generation of autonomous edge devices, Syslogic claimed.
These artificial intelligence-powered systems perform inference and vision tasks in mobile robots, construction machinery, agricultural and special-purpose vehicles, and trains, said the company.
Syslogic introduces three computers
Syslogic, a member of NVIDIA's preferred partner network, is introducing three rugged computers based on the new Jetson Orin NX module. The first is the compact Rugged Computer RPC RS A4NX, which will be available starting at the end of March 2023.
The RPC RML A4NX is also designed for applications that require Power over Ethernet (PoE) or Gigabit Multimedia Serial Links (GMSL), the company said.
In Q2 2023, Syslogic will release the larger Rugged Computer RPC RML A4NX, available in two versions – one with PoEand one with GMSL interfaces. This allows a wide range of sensors, such as lidar, radar, and cameras, to be connected to the embedded systems in order for sophisticated computer vision applications.
NVIDIA software intended to ease development
With the integrated NVIDIA Ampere GPU (graphics processing unit), the Rugged Computer RPC RS A4NX processes data from multiple high-resolution sensors virtually in real time. The devices are thus suitable for demanding edge AI applications in robots and autonomous machines, said Syslogic.
The Jetson AGX Orin Developer Kit with software emulation for the Jetson Orin NX 16GB module uses the same software stack as all Jetson Orin modules. This allows software development to start early with a developer kit and then be seamlessly finalized in the production device, Syslogic explained.
In addition, the Jetson Orin NX shares the software environment with Jetson Xavier modules, so developments that have already been implemented on previous-generation modules can be easily adopted, the company said.
The software stacks include application-specific frameworks such as NVIDIA Isaac for robotics, DeepStream for intelligent video analytics, and Riva for conversational AI. NVIDIA said its pretrained models and the TAO toolkit can also reduce effort by enabling developers to use existing resources rather than starting from scratch.
Embedded devices compatible with ROS 2
Syslogic said its embedded computers come with pre-installed JetPack 5 with Linux Kernel 5.10. This makes it easy to use the ROS 2 middleware, which is useful for computer vision applications.
The latest version of the open-source Robot Operating System, developers use ROS 2 to control and coordinate a large number of nodes. The middleware is modular and has functions for sensor processing and evaluation, as well as for controlling actuators.
NVIDIA also provides a collection of hardware-accelerated packages in Isaac ROS for ROS developers to build high-performance solutions on the Jetson platform.
Robust for tough field operation
“With the RPC RS A4NX, we offer a device that is as rugged as it is compact,” stated Michael Jung, a product manager at Syslogic. “Syslogic ensures that the new Jetson module can play to its strengths even under harsh environmental conditions.”
The Rugged Computer RPC RS A4NX is certified to IP67. Syslogic has combined the NVIDIA module with a specially designed carrier board that fulfills the same high shock and vibration requirements as the rest of the device.
To protect the electronics against moisture, humidity, and dust, the embedded computer features a robust housing with screw-on M12 connectors, said Syslogic.
In addition, a Gore vent ensures pressure equalization inside the device. “This makes the rugged computer one of the world’s most robust devices currently available based on NVIDIA Jetson,” wrote Syslogics's John Caruso in a blog post.
Syslogic said it expects the three new embedded systems will help it lead the market for intelligent edge devices.
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