Teradyne and Syntiant partner to ‘significantly shorten time to market’ for new AI chips
Teradyne, a supplier of automated test solutions, says the company’s UltraFLEX test platform has enabled AI chip company Syntiant to successfully ship millions of its microwatt-power, deep learning Neural Decision Processors to customers worldwide.
Built from a clean sheet, hardware/software co-design methodology that optimizes silicon and deep learning models together, the Syntiant NDP100 and Syntiant NDP101 Neural Decision Processors bring hands-free, cloud-free, always-on voice and sensor AI applications to battery-powered edge devices.
Pieter Vorenkamp, COO at Syntiant, says: “Our deep learning NDP10x chips leverage our custom designed near-memory compute architecture, so we were looking for a partner with a deep understanding of the AI chip market.
“The UltraFLEX power supplies were critical for the low current measurements needed to characterize our device, and drive quality and yield in production.
“Teradyne’s testing methodology supported our aggressive go-to market strategy, enabling us to go from qualification to production in just eight short weeks.
“We look forward to working closely with Teradyne as we introduce our second generation products and significantly accerlate our volume ramp.”
Syntiant’s NDP10x chips run AI workloads under 140uW and improve efficiency by 100x and throughput by 10x compared to traditional MCUs. Syntiant’s architecture supports dozens of application-defined audio classifications, such as keyword spotting, wake word detection, speaker identification, audio event and environment classification, as well as sensor analytics.
Regan Mills, vice president of marketing at Teradyne, says: “From startups to hyperscalers, Teradyne is committed to providing the lowest cost of test and collaborating with our customers as a consultative solution partner.
“For Syntiant, our Protocol Aware tester architecture, IG-XL software, and extensive applications expertise were key in accelerating the qualification process. We look forward to continuing to work with Syntiant in bringing their innovative AI Neural Decision Processors to market.”
Using its UltraFLEX test platform, Teryadne is currently supporting the qualification and production ramp of the Syntiant NDP120 and Syntiant NDP121 Neural Decision Processors, Syntiant Corp’s second generation hardware platform to run multiple audio applications simultaneously at under 1mW power consumption.