NTT Corporation has unveiled a groundbreaking AI chip that enhances edge device performance, specifically in drone technology. This innovation facilitates real-time 4K video processing in drones at an altitude of 150 meters, significantly surpassing the conventional 30-meter limitation. This allows drones to conduct extensive infrastructure inspections beyond visual line-of-sight, offering valuable applications in industrial settings.
NTT’s advanced AI chip technology integrates large-scale integration (LSI) to support on-board video processing. This technology allows for efficient 4K video streaming at higher altitudes, transforming the capabilities of industrial drones with extended range and reduced power consumption.
The deployment of this chip in edge devices marks a significant shift from traditional ground-based AI video technologies. The chip delivers superior computing efficiency using interframe correlation and dynamic bit-precision control, operating within a power consumption of under 20 watts.
To drive further innovation, NTT has launched an AI ethics group in collaboration with leading universities like Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford. This group aims to address the “black-box” nature of AI, examining its design and safety implications. The goal is to integrate AI ethics, focusing on trustworthiness, safety, and fairness.
NTT’s focus on ethical AI also seeks to improve the trust dynamic between human operators and AI systems. Utilizing insights from physics, neuroscience, and psychology, they aspire to create systems with enhanced energy efficiency and reduced computational complexity.
Kazu Gomi, president and CEO of NTT Research, has emphasized the chip’s diverse potential applications, highlighting its capability in infrastructure inspection, public safety, and live events. He describes this achievement as a pivotal advancement in enabling edge AI inference for power-limited environments.
