From software-defined processors to robotics platforms, Qualcomm fuels innovation and expands the ecosystems in IoT and robotics

The Internet of Things (IoT) and robotics ecosystem continues to sustain new business opportunities and ways to innovate. Manufacturers and developers are asking Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. for more options in areas such as central processing units (CPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs), peripheral support, operating systems, artificial intelligence (AI) and camera capability.

That’s why we’ve kicked off our week at Embedded World in Nuremberg with several announcements about new and upgraded processors you can use to build IoT and robotics products. We’ve designed them so ecosystem partners — shown below — can scale their offerings for the right combination of performance, AI, computer vision, and connectivity at different price points.

In this post, I’ll describe the new and upgraded processors so you can gauge the fit with your own product development plans.

Four operating systems supported on one 5G IoT processor 

Let’s start near the top of our IoT chipsets.

The Qualcomm QCS6490 and Qualcomm QCM6490 processors have always run Android, and we’ve now upgraded them to also run Linux, Ubuntu and Windows 11 IoT Enterprise. These high-tier system-on-a-chip (SoC) are designed for industrial and commercial applications like transportation, warehousing, connected healthcare, logistics management and retail point-of-sale (POS) kiosks. 

Now with the choice of four different operating systems, you can build the QCS6490/QCM6490 into products for use cases and market segments beyond Android. Choose the OS that works best for your connected camera devices such as dashcams, edge AI boxes, industrial automation equipment (IPC, PLC) and autonomous mobile robots, and more.

IoT device manufacturers can now scale their solutions up and down to every tier of the Connected Intelligent Edge:

• Premium — Qualcomm QCS8250
• High-performance — QCS6490 and QCM6490 (with four operating system options)
• Software-defined IoT — Qualcomm QCM5430 and Qualcomm QCS5430 (see below)
• Low power consumption — Qualcomm QCS4290 and Qualcomm QCM4290

Software-defined processors for IoT

At the middle of our IoT offerings, we’re launching the scalable QCM5430 (with 5G modem) and QCS5430 processors.

Ideal for industrial handheld devices, retail equipment, mid-tier robots and connected cameras, the QCM5430 and QCS5430 processors are Qualcomm Technologies’ first software-defined IoT solutions. They give you more configuration options than we’ve ever provided before:

• QCM5430/QCS5430 Feature Pack 1 – Basic
• QCM5430/QCS5430 Feature Pack 2 – Higher CPU performance and increased interface support
• QCM5430/QCS5430 Custom Feature Pack – Your choice of configuration

Feature Pack 1 and Feature Pack 2 are available under pre-set platform feature packs. They both offer premium connectivity in a mid-tier package, with 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6E) for transmit speeds of up to 3.6 Gbps and reduced latency for environments like hospitals and warehouses. In both feature packs, the QCM5430 processor has a 5G modem with millimeter-wave connectivity for high data rates and precise geolocation.

These software-defined processors offer AI-powered camera features like support for up to five concurrent vision sensor inputs. When necessary, the edge AI can switch to cloud processing for handling multiple camera connections.

With Feature Pack 1 you get 6 CPU cores and one PCIe port. With Feature Pack 2 you get increased CPU (8 cores) and two PCIe ports. 

Now, suppose the configuration you want is different from Feature Pack 1 and Feature Pack 2. In that case, choose the Custom Feature Pack and tailor the QCM5430 and QCS5430 processors to customize features as needed. Because they’re software-defined, you can specify the most important features, including:

• CPU and GPU performance
• Digital signal processor for artificial intelligence (AI-cDSP)
• Display
• Camera
• Peripherals

Best of all, the software-defined architecture means you can upgrade Feature Pack 1, Feature Pack 2 and your Custom Feature Pack even after your products are commercially available. The QCM5430 and QCS5430 processors scale to meet your development and production needs, and they scale to help meet your customers’ needs.

All QCM5430 and QCS5430 processors include enterprise-grade security features. They support Android, Yocto Embedded Linux, Ubuntu and Windows 11 Enterprise IoT.

Rounding out our robotics lineup — Two new, entry-level processors

Finally, we’re introducing two new robotics platforms: the new Qualcomm Robotics RB1 Platform and the Qualcomm Robotics RB2 Platform. We’ve designed them for very low power consumption so you can build them into everyday, entry-level robotics and IoT products.

Both platforms combine general computing, AI-focused performance, communications technologies and new levels of cost-effectiveness and accessibility. They bring our robotics lineup to five platforms altogether, including the Qualcomm Robotics RB3, Qualcomm Robotics RB5, and Qualcomm Robotics RB6 Platforms.

The Qualcomm Robotics RB1 is powered by the Qualcomm QRB2210 Processor and the Qualcomm Robotics RB2 is powered by the Qualcomm QRB4210 Processor. Both are engineered for small IoT devices that need low power consumption. For autonomous navigation, they provide on-board intelligence that can combine data from high-fidelity TDK sensors with machine vision data from up to three cameras.

The Qualcomm Robotics RB2’s feature set extends on the Qualcomm Robotics RB1, with upgraded compute and GPU power with a dedicated AI accelerator that offers double the processing capability of the Qualcomm Robotics RB1.

Next step: Join the new Qualcomm IoT Accelerator Program

Are you ready for the next step in your IoT and robotics development? We welcome all of you who are going to develop on these new processors and platforms to join our IoT Accelerator Program.

The program unites embedded hardware designers, independent software vendors, independent hardware component vendors, system integrators and ODMs that are equipped to accelerate digital transformation based on our technologies. We’re combining those technologies with an ecosystem of expertise to fuel innovation at the Connected Intelligent Edge — in sectors like retail, energy, utilities, tracking, logistics and robotics. 

Our goal is that the accelerator program will be a resource where you can take full advantage of both shared and private expertise. Find out more about how your organization can benefit from the Qualcomm IoT Accelerator Program.