Grinn, an electronics design house and leading provider of high-performance computing solutions, proudly announces the launch of its latest System on Module, the Grinn AstraSOM-1680, powered by the advanced Synaptics AstraTM SL1680 embedded processor. The Grinn AstraSOM-1680 is a compact, high-performance module designed to redefine smart camera applications and the Internet of Things delivering unmatched capabilities at the edge.
The Grinn AstraSOM-1680 integrates Synaptics’ quad-core Arm® Cortex®-A73 processor with its PowerVR Series9XE GE9920 GPU and neural processing unit (NPU) for AI acceleration. With 4GB LPDDR4 memory and 16GB eMMC storage, the module handles complex video inputs and outputs seamlessly, making it ideal for real-time image processing and AI-driven applications.
A Strategic Collaboration Built on Innovation and Performance
Synaptics’ SL1680 processor was selected for its unique ability to handle both high-speed processing and AI acceleration, key requirements for modern IoT and AI applications. By integrating the SL1680 into the Grinn AstraSOM-1680, Grinn has delivered a module that combines high computational power with compact, efficient design.
This strategic partnership goes beyond simply integrating powerful hardware. Grinn and Synaptics have worked closely throughout the development process to ensure that the Grinn AstraSOM-1680 leverages the full potential of the SL1680 processor, optimizing it for a range of applications such as industrial IoT, smart cameras, and Edge AI. The result is a SOM that enables developers to deploy sophisticated AI and vision processing, with minimal footprint and maximum efficiency.
"Our collaboration with Synaptics has allowed us to create a SOM that meets the highest standards of performance and reliability," said Robert Otręba, CEO of Grinn.
Advanced Technology in a Compact Design
One of the standout features of the Grinn AstraSOM-1680 is its compact form factor. “Our module is the smallest SOM based on the Astra SL1680 processor, designed with an LGA footprint rather than standard connectors, resulting in lower costs and increased connection reliability,” explained Robert Otręba, CEO of Grinn. This design ensures stability in high-speed connections and enables seamless integration for developers and OEMs.
“Grinn’s AstraSOM-1680 exemplifies the Astra platform’s ability to bring right-sized AI-native multi-modal processing to Edge AI while accelerating application development with secure, open-source tools within a creative partner ecosystem,” said John Weil, Vice President of IoT and Edge AI Processor Business at Synaptics. “Supported by our Astra MachinaTM Foundation Series toolkit, we look forward to working with Grinn and all our customers to unlock the next wave of secure AI innovations.”
Arcturus Software Stack: A Model Solution for Smart Camera Applications
An example of the Synaptics processor’s capabilities is illustrated through Arcturus’ complete smart camera software stack, which transforms the SL1680 processor into a fully functional smart camera system. This solution offers streaming video, AI analytics, and playback from onboard storage within a containerized microservices architecture. Processing is done entirely on-chip, taking full advantage of the SL1680’s specialized compute resources for AI acceleration, model preprocessing, and encoding.
“Companies understand the benefit of AI but struggle with the complex mix of software and expertise required to deliver it,” said David Steele, Director of Innovation at Arcturus. “Our smart camera software platform reduces development time, cost, and risk by providing a comprehensive edge runtime, extensive user experience, and ML already optimized for the SL1680.”
Arcturus’ platform demonstrates the practical potential of SL1680, offering developers a working model that simplifies deployment of advanced AI at the edge. A demo of the software is available today for the Astra™ Machina™ SL1680 development platform, and Grinn AstraSOM-1680. For demo download and instruction, visit the Arcturus Git Hub page.
A Foundation for Future Innovation
The Grinn AstraSOM-1680 marks just the beginning of an ongoing collaboration between Grinn and Synaptics. With each development, the two companies aim to drive new advances in embedded computing, helping businesses and developers create smarter, more capable devices.
The Grinn AstraSOM-1680 is available now, ready to support your most ambitious AI-driven projects. For more information, visit Grinn AstraSOM-1680 webpage.
Kateryna Kozakova
