Recognition of coffee pods with Analog Devices’ MAX78000 microcontroller

 

We’re in the midst of a transformative era in the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Even though it’s only been a handful of years since the AI surge of 2018, the technological landscape has undergone remarkable shifts. These advancements have tailored AI-driven solutions to be increasingly compatible with the embedded domain.

 

 

The Internet of Things (IoT) has consistently been perceived as a fertile ground for AI, due to the enormous amount of data injected by embedded devices and given that integrating machine learning algorithms can yield substantial benefits for end-users. And we’re not just referring to the overt functionalities that users can directly interact with, but also enhancements in technical support and the customization of experiences based on individual user profiles.

Analog Devices has been at the forefront, pioneering numerous solutions that fast-track the integration of machine learning in the embedded sphere. Thanks to the robust collaboration between Kalpa and Analog Devices, Kalpa has been privileged to assess the capabilities of the MAX78000, particularly focusing on its computational prowess and energy efficiency metrics.

The MAX78000 stands out as a power-efficient microcontroller, equipped with neural and convolutional accelerators. This design is a strategic move to bridge the existing divide between intricate machine learning algorithms and power-sensitive devices. The potential applications of such innovations are vast, ranging from standalone facial recognition devices, pattern and sound detection, predicting user behaviors, offline data inferences, to even devices that are solely battery-operated.

In our project, we set the goal of recognizing common objects such as cans, food packages, coffee capsules, and food while minimizing energy consumption and without an internet connection during recognition operations.

 

 

 

In the video, you can see the MAXREFDES178# Cube Camera recognizing some coffee capsules. The Cube Camera is a convenient development tool because it has a quality camera and an integrated display along with some buttons and a (very useful) USB connection.