UK research company 42 Technology is working with California-based edge AI specialist Synaptics to give its clients faster access to emerging technologies.

The goal is to help clients quickly move from prototype to implementation with the flexibility they need in how products are built and scaled.

As manufacturers look to take advantage of the commercial benefits of real-time edge AI across their production lines or embedded within their products, identifying and deploying cost-effective, high-performance processing can be difficult.

This partnership directly addresses this by combining 42T’s manufacturing and product development insight with Synaptics’ open development environment, as well as an open toolchain approach for its scalable embedded AI Astra processor family for industrial IoT workloads.

Unlike proprietary AI platforms, Synaptics’ open architecture allows companies to use development tools and models from any source, to build with their preferred frameworks, and to avoid being tied to a single supplier as systems scale. The technology is also retrofittable, enabling AI capabilities using vision, audio or sensor processing to be added easily to existing manufacturing equipment without major redesigns or capital expenditure.

“42 Technology’s clients want fast, flexible access to the latest AI innovations but without being restricted by a vendor-specific build environment,” said Jon Spratley, CEO of 42T (42t.com). “Partnering with Synaptics allows us to explore the full landscape of available options, to quickly prototype edge AI, and to deliver the technology that best solves our client’s real manufacturing challenges.”

The partnership should help 42T’s FMCG, industrial and other manufacturing clients to de-risk the adoption of edge AI, while making it faster and more efficient to reach proof of concept and to take successful pilot projects into production. Target applications include process control, automated inspection, output monitoring and automated operator guidance.

“42 Technology’s manufacturing expertise and commitment to always finding the best for each of its clients makes them the ideal partner for Synaptics,” said John Weil, vice president at Synaptics (www.synaptics.com). “Together, we can help manufacturers accelerate innovation and strengthen their competitive edge by reducing risk, shortening development cycles, and quickly deploying cost-effective, scalable industrial edge AI built on the Synaptics Astra portfolio of AI-native IoT processors.”

42T’s partnership builds on several edge AI developments delivered over the past year in collaboration with Synaptics, Grinn, Arcturus Networks and others.

Recent AI successes include working with world-leading pharmaceutical manufacturers to develop a breakthrough approach for AI-powered automated line clearance; developing an industrial-grade edge-AI single-board computer that powers no-code machine learning for defect detection on production lines, which was shown at CES in Las Vegas; and supporting Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK, in developing machine-learning models to improve the accuracy of a handheld eye-screening device for new-born babies, making it easier for midwives and GPs to use when it is launched commercially.