System-on-Module Targets Next-Gen Industrial IoT and Edge AI
Variscite is launching the SMARC-compatible VAR-SMARC-MX95 system-on-module (SOM), based on NXP's i.MX 95 applications processor. Intended to provide a scalable foundation for industrial IoT and edge AI applications, the SOM will integrate up to six Arm Cortex-A55 cores running up to 2.0 GHz, with dedicated Cortex-M7 and Cortex-M33 real-time co-processors for deterministic control tasks.
An integrated eIQ Neutron neural processing unit (NPU) will deliver 2 TOPS (8 eTOPS) of AI acceleration. Included is a next-gen NXP image signal processor (ISP) with dual MIPI CSI-2 interfaces to support advanced vision capabilities such as smart camera systems, object detection, and vision-based inspection.
A Safety Island architecture will address functional-safety requirements for a range of applications from industrial automation and medical imaging to building-management systems and energy infrastructure.
It will be available in three variants, integrating NXP's IW610, IW611, or IW612 tri-radio wireless solutions, with Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) for high-throughput data transfer, Bluetooth, and 802.15.4 support for Thread and Zigbee protocols. The Native Matter protocol supports communication across smart building, industrial, and edge-computing ecosystems, while WPA3 and chipset-level secure boot ensure encrypted, authenticated communication.
Features include an on-module Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chip with FIPS 140-3 Level 2 compliance. And NXP's processor-level secure boot and cryptographic acceleration comply with EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) requirements.
Bringing NXP's latest processing and AI technologies to the standardized SMARC form factor, the i.MX 95 delivers high-performance compute, dedicated real-time domains, and integrated AI acceleration on Variscite's scalable SMARC platform.
Related links:
More New Products
About the Author
Alix Paultre
Editor-at-Large, Microwaves & RF
Alix is Editor-at-Large for Microwaves & RF.
An Army veteran, Alix Paultre was a signals intelligence soldier on the East/West German border in the early ‘80s, and eventually wound up helping launch and run a publication on consumer electronics for the U.S. military stationed in Europe. Alix first began in this industry in 1998 at Electronic Products magazine, and since then has worked for a variety of publications, most recently as Editor-in-Chief of Power Systems Design.
Alix currently lives in Wiesbaden, Germany.