Seeed Studio Launches Tiny Edge AI Grove Vision AI Module, Promises Edge Impulse Support to Come
Designed around an OmniVision camera sensor and a Himax low-power tinyML processor, this compact board runs machine learning on-device.
Seeed Studio has announced a new Grove device designed for computer vision at the edge, offering an integrated camera and support for on-device machine learning algorithm execution: the Grove Vision AI Module.
"[The] Grove Vision AI Module Sensor is a thumb-sized AI camera, which has [an] already installed ML algorithm for face, people detection, and other customized models by your definition," Seeed explains of the newest entry to its Grove ecosystem of devices. "It is easy-to-use, containing the ultra-low power model, and providing two ways of signal transmission, all of which make it perfect for getting started with AI-powered camera [technology]."
The compact module is based on an OmniVision OV2640 camera sensor, offering a 1600×1200 UXGA resolution at 15 frames per second (FPS) boosted to 60 frames per second at 352×288 CIF resolution using a rolling-shutter sensor with on-board image signal processor (ISP). To this Seeed has added a Himax HX6537-A processor running at 400MHz, which handles the machine learning workload with, its creators claim, an extremely low power draw.
The board is designed to slot into the existing Grove ecosystem, offering compatibility with Seeed's XIAO family or a compatible add-on board for Arduino microcontroller boards or Raspberry Pi and compatible single-board computers. The processor comes pre-loaded with three classification algorithms, but offers support for custom models — including, the company has promised, impending support in Edge Impulse Studio.
In addition to a Grove connector and a double row of general-purpose input/output (GPIO) headers designed for piggybacking onto a Seeed XIAO board, the Grove Vision AI Module includes a USB Type-C connector — but this can only be used for power and to update the board's firmware, with actual data transmission limited to the Grove and GPIO headers via I2C.
The Grove Vision AI Module is now available from the Seeed Studio store at $25.99 before volume discounts, shipping immediately.