Which Embedded Boards Add NPU or AI Acceleration at the Edge?
October 30, 2024
Boards built on Intel® Core™ Ultra or AMD Ryzen™ Embedded 8000 processors add AI acceleration without extra hardware: an integrated neural processing unit (NPU) runs AI inference on the processor itself, with no additional GPU or accelerator card. iBASE offers several such boards in the 3.5-inch and Mini-ITX formats. We supply them from Ronkonkoma, New York, and support the design from board selection to series production.
Why run AI on the board rather than in the cloud?
Because processing data where it is generated is faster, cheaper and more secure. Local inference cuts latency and transmission times, reduces network traffic and the load on central infrastructure, and keeps sensitive data on site, which matters for projects with stricter data protection requirements and in bandwidth-limited environments. Typical applications include machine vision for quality control, automated inspection, image and pattern recognition in medical technology, voice control in operator panels, and intelligent sensing in production systems.
Which boards have an integrated NPU?
| Board | Format | Processor | Displays |
|---|---|---|---|
| IB966 | 3.5-inch SBC | Intel® Core™ Ultra 300H (Panther Lake) | Up to 4 independent: eDP, DisplayPort, HDMI |
| IB962 | 3.5-inch SBC | Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 and 5 (Meteor Lake) | HDMI, DisplayPort, LVDS, eDP |
| IB301 | 3.5-inch SBC | AMD Ryzen™ Embedded 8000 | LVDS or eDP, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1 |
| MI1002 | Mini-ITX | Intel® Core™ Ultra (Meteor Lake-PS) | HDMI, DisplayPort, dual USB-C |
The IB966 delivers up to 180 TOPS from its CPU, graphics and NPU combined, so image processing and data analytics run directly at the edge. It adds two 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports on Intel® I226 controllers, fast NVMe, USB 3.2 and 2.0, RS232, RS422 or RS485 serial ports and digital I/O, and supports Windows 11 and Ubuntu. TOPS is a peak figure, and like most headline numbers this one combines every processing engine on the chip, so we confirm early that the real workload runs within the device’s power and thermal limits; our guide to choosing an edge AI computer for a medical device covers that.
The IB962 combines a 3D hybrid architecture with Intel Arc™ graphics and up to 64 GB of memory, in four versions: IB962AF-165H (Core Ultra 7 165H, Arc graphics), IB962AF-165U (Core Ultra 7 165U), IB962AF-135H (Core Ultra 5 135H, Arc graphics) and IB962AF-135U (Core Ultra 5 135U).
The IB301 supports flexible power profiles, so performance can be matched to the enclosure and cooling concept of a compact or fanless system. It offers two 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports and M.2 slots for wireless and cellular connectivity, and its range of display outputs lets a product line keep existing display generations while moving to new ones. It is available for long-term supply until Q1 2034.
The MI1002 is designed for 24/7 continuous operation, with a 12 to 24 V supply, 2.5 GbE LAN, multiple COM ports and M.2 expansion. We ensure supply even after the platform reaches end-of-life, through proactive stocking and qualified sourcing.
What if the application does not need an NPU?
Then the IB961 is a strong general-purpose choice. Its Raptor Lake Intel® Core™ processors use a hybrid architecture of 4 to 6 performance cores and 4 to 8 efficiency cores: the efficiency cores handle system tasks, and the performance cores start only when a task needs them. It takes up to 32 GB DDR5, drives up to four displays over two DisplayPort 1.2, one LVDS and one eDP, and offers two 2.5 Gbit/s LAN ports and three M.2 slots for Wi-Fi and 5G, with a 12 to 24 V input. For GPU-class AI performance, see our post on NVIDIA Jetson Thor.
How do we support an edge AI design?
From evaluation to series production. We help select and configure the board, tune power consumption, thermal management and overall system behavior, customize the BIOS, and plan for long-term availability. Boards ship with Windows 10 or 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC pre-installed where needed (see Windows 11 IoT for your application), and we supply complete solutions with display, touchscreen, SSD and power supply, drawing on the FORTEC Group. Tell us what the system has to recognize and where it has to run, and we will take it from there. When a board receives an EOL notice, we tell you early and plan with you: a last-time buy to cover remaining builds, or qualifying a replacement before supply runs out.
