Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1429265
WHITE PAPER A Generational Leap in Edge Computing with the Versal® ACAP mrcy.com 3 Powerful Processing Must Move to the Edge Exploding sensor data volumes, the need for ever-faster response times and sophisticated sensor fusing applications are all driving the need for power ful processing capabilities placed on the edge, adjacent to the sensors. Funneling complete data streams from thousands of sensors into a single processing center is clearly impractical, as even 5G datalinks would be over whelmed. Beyond bandwidth limitations, latency requirements make centralized processing models inadequate. Deployed Applications Need to Be Smarter In addition to the processing of more data at the edge, many next-generation deployed systems will also need AI capability to maintain dominance on the electronic battlefield. Data from imaging sensors will be manipulated by AI capability to deliver advanced digital maps, image recognition, object tracking and image correction. Electronic warfare systems will use AI to identify new patterns in detected data and develop an appropriate response in near-real time. Autonomous vehicles will need the onboard intelligence not just for self-navigation but also to complete missions without human direction. The next generation of edge processors must be able to suppor t these AI applications with both low latency and response flexibility. The final requirements hurdle is this new level of advanced processing must be deployable on defense systems, with sensor edge deployments placing rigorous constraints on the SWaP of the processing package. Solutions must be packaged for placement near the sensor, wherever that may be, on a wingtip, in a UAV, or onboard a Humvee. Size, weight and power are all limited on these types of platforms. Edge deployment also means operating in exposed and harsh environments. Sensor edge processing systems must be designed and packaged to be extremely rugged, able to withstand shock, vibration and temperature extremes. A New Processing Solution For tunately, one of the semiconductor industr y 's leaders has developed a new type of processor. Driven by the enormous market forces of worldwide electronics demand, innovators at Xilinx created the ACAP, combining multiple styles of computing in a single silicon chip.