Taiwanese firm AS Rock has launched an AI-driven edge platform engineered to power intelligent systems, from robotics and machine vision to real-time industrial automation.

The iEP-7050E industrial IoT controller is built on the Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors (Panther Lake) and integrates CPU, Intel Graphics and NPU architectures to enable on-device AI capabilities, with up to 180Tops. The platform also supports real-time computing with Intel TCC and TSN, enabling deterministic performance directly at the edge while maintaining power-efficient compute and industrial-grade reliability and flexibility.

Engineered for rugged operation, it has a fanless design and an operating temperature of -25 to +60˚C. With flexible IO and a modular design supporting configurations such as Basic, PoE, 5G, wifi, 8DIO, CanBus and OOB SKUs, it is purpose-built for applications such as robot control, autonomous systems, smart manufacturing and intelligent transportation.

By integrating CPU, GPU and NPU, the platform accelerates AI inference for applications such as computer vision, predicative maintenance and autonomous decision-making. Supporting DDR5 7200MHz memory up to 128Gbyte with Intel In-Band ECC, the system ensures high throughput and data integrity for mission-critical operations. This architecture allows systems to perform real-time perception, analysis and decision-making directly at the edge, reducing latency and dependence on cloud infrastructure.

Designed for seamless integration into robotics and intelligent systems, it measures 60 by 170 by 150mm for Basic, 8DIO, CanBus and OOB SKUs, and 78 by 170 by 150mm for PoE and 5G SKUs. For connectivity, the series includes three Intel i266-IT LAN ports with one support Intel vPro and three i210-IT LAN ports, along with Intel TCC and TSN for real-time computing. The PoE SKU adds two i210-AT LAN ports, supporting IEEE 802.3af PoE. Additional IO features include one RS232, 422 and 485 serial port, two USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 ports, and configurable digital IO, including 4DIs/4DOs for standard SKUs and up to 8DIs/8DOos with 3kV sink-source isolation for 8DIO SKUs.

The platform also supports two CanBus interfaces for industrial communications and out-of-band management for OOB SKU. It also incorporates two SPE connector for T1S connectivity.

For displays, it features one HDMI 2.1b port, delivering high-resolution output for AI-driven vision workloads. For expansion, the system supports one M.2 Key B for 4G LTE/5G modules and one M.2 Key E for wifi/BT modules. It also includes one M.2 Key M and a MicroSD slot for high-speed storage.

Resistance to shock, vibration and electrical disturbances makes it suitable for deployment in factories, outdoor, environments and mobile systems. With dual wide-range DC power input (9V/19V to 36V) and protection mechanisms including OVP, UVP, OCP and 80V surge protection, the system maintains stable performance even in unstable power conditions. Mounting options includeg wall mount, Vesa and Din-rail.

To simplify AI platform selection and accelerate deployment decisions, AS Rock continues expanding its AI Pathfinder (fast-filtering.vercel.app) tool with validated hardware recommendations, integrating accelerator cards, AI computing platforms and optimised configurations tailored for different AI workloads and deployment scenarios. Through AI Pathfinder, users can identify recommended edge AI systems and accelerate deployment with confidence.

AS Rock (www.asrockind.com) is IEC 62443-certified and collaborates closely with partners, including AMD, Fido, Intel, Nvidia, Opaf and UAO to advance innovation at the edge.