NVIDIA® Jetson™ series is SOM (System-on-Module) with advanced AI processing performance by GPU. With its small size and high power performance, it can be widely used in the development of advanced edge AI applications that require advanced AI processing such as image/sound analysis and autonomous operation.
Contec Co., Ltd. has developed the DX-U1100 series of industrial edge AI computers using NVIDIA® Jetson Nano™, one of the Jetson series.
We asked Mr. Nagano, Product Manager, Marketing Group, Marketing Department, Global Sales Headquarters, Contec Co., Ltd., about the development process, challenges, and reasons for adopting Jetson Nano.
Customers interviewed this time
Contec Co., Ltd.
Contec Co., Ltd. Global Sales Headquarters Marketing Department
Marketing Group Product Manager Mr. Nagano
Company HP: Contec Co., Ltd.
Growing demand for AI inference environments that can be installed on site
In recent years, interest in AI and IoT technologies has increased, and various research and development efforts are underway. In the industrial field, there are many initiatives using AI and IoT technologies, such as edge computing for smart factories, high-speed processing in inspection lines using image processing, and the introduction of collaborative robots that operate independently. In the future, it is expected that this trend will accelerate as computer processing power continues to improve and 5G increases the speed and capacity of communications.
Mr. Nagano
“The number of customers who want to introduce edge AI computers to the field is increasing. At that time, the Company that can be used in the field environment and are compatible with signal input from other devices and sensors are required. , has developed and provided industrial PCs for many years.We decided to put that know-how into a new AI platform to provide an AI environment that can be used in industrial sites.The DX-U1100 series is This product is ideal as an AI inference environment for running AI applications such as product image recognition inspection.It has a highly reliable and long-life design that makes use of the know-how of industrial PCs, and has high environmental resistance performance against ambient temperature and noise. It also has flexible installation such as mounting on the back of a display that supports wall mounting, VESA mounting, or mounting on a DIN rail.In addition, models with PCI Express expansion slots are also available, and Contec's abundant A PCI expansion card is available, which allows expansion of functions such as analog input and serial communication, adding functions essential for practical use in the field.”
Adoption of the NVIDIA GPU platform that we wanted to realize
The DX-U1100 series, which is an edge AI computer with high practicality in industrial sites, not only has a small size and high AI processing performance, but also has sufficient performance for industrial use. It is said that there were various difficulties in the development process in order to achieve the performance demanded by the industrial site.
Mr. Nagano
“The hardest part was the thermal design. Since the product is equipped with both a CPU and a GPU, we had to deal with even more heat dissipation. the Company, we tried to avoid using the fan, which is a consumable part, as much as possible. We have been providing fanless industrial computers for a long time.This product is also fanless from the beginning, and was developed with the aim of realizing heat dissipation with a heat sink.In addition, it can be used in narrow places, places with high temperatures, and places with air conditioning. Since it will be installed in a place where it would not exist, we have taken environmental resistance into consideration.”
Mr. Nagano explains why he wanted to use the Jetson Nano despite all the hard work.
Mr. Nagano
“This is true for us, but from the customer's point of view, the Jetson Nano's high total cost performance was the most attractive feature. the Company also have the technology to use FPGAs. It was also possible to develop an AI product to be installed.However, in that case, in addition to AI, we also need the technology to use FPGA, and when the customer develops an AI application according to the mission of the production site, we will create an AI application. We thought it would be difficult because we had to create it from the base development platform.With Jetson, customers can easily develop their own AI applications using developer kits and development platforms provided by NVIDIA. We chose NVIDIA's GPU platform for that reason."
The NVIDIA® Jetson™ series is not only a hardware developer kit, but also has a full range of development environment SDKs that accelerate image analysis application development and deep learning inference. We have the tools to help you unlock the full potential of your NVIDIA GPUs and help you develop.
Mr. Nagano
"I was also attracted to the amount of technical information related to Jetson. NVIDIA's partner ecosystem is substantial, and information is provided by many media, including information from distributors. We thought that this would promote the development of AI applications for our customers.We are in a position to provide industrial computers that can be used for general purposes.Supplying products that can be used in the field is the reason why we have been providing industrial products for many years. I thought it was the Company 's mission."
Evolving into an AI inference environment that can be used anywhere because of its industrial specifications
In addition to the AI performance of Jetson Nano, the DX-U1100 series is characterized by its robustness and reliability that have passed various tests such as noise resistance, shock resistance, and surge resistance. It is expected to be used not only for industrial use but also in a wide range of fields such as commerce and medicine, such as installing it in a store and recognizing the movement of people.
Edge AI Accelerator DX-U1100 Series
Mr. Nagano
“We have also developed a hand washing judgment system that applies AI technology, and we are proposing it together with the DX-U1100. The camera is installed in a place where it can shoot hands and faces, but the edge AI computer can also be used in narrow spaces. We also envision installation in places where there is no air conditioning.We believe that the advantage of being able to be installed in any location will also be useful in use cases other than industrial sites."
Finally, Mr. Nagano talked about the future prospects.
Mr. Nagano
"The DX-U1100 is the best product to install in the field as an inference environment, but a learning environment is also required to develop an inference model. Learning environments are often in the cloud or on consumer PCs, but We believe that the environment should be close to the site.Since long-term stable supply and high reliability are important at the site, we plan to expand our lineup of FA computers for learning environments in the future to meet these needs. At that time, we are considering installing not only Jetson Nano but also higher-performance NVIDIA GPU products.We have received product information and technical information from Macnica so far, so we will continue to work on it, including promotions. We would like to receive support from all sides, and would like to receive your support not only as an NVIDIA agent but also as a sales partner.”
Macnica will add pre-trained AI algorithms to the DX-U1100 series, OTA (remote monitoring and remote firmware update using wireless networks), which is currently attracting attention, as well as maintenance and operation services and propose them as a solution. We will contribute to the spread of edge AI computers in industrial sites.