Silicon Labs delivered the keynote at the first-ever embedded world North America today. CEO Matt Johnson and CTO Daniel Cooley highlighted how AI is revolutionising IoT, while also discussing the ongoing success of the company’s Series 2 platform and offering insights into the upcoming Series 3 platform.
“AI is rapidly becoming a key growth catalyst that will enable the number of IoT devices to reach over a 100 billion in the next decade,” said Matt Johnson, President and CEO, Silicon Labs. “Our upcoming Series 3 platform’s unparalleled capabilities and productivity will unlock new applications and new capabilities across a vast range of industries, from manufacturing and retail to transportation, healthcare, energy distribution, fitness, and agriculture, helping transform each sector in remarkable ways.”
To achieve this, IoT devices must deliver substantial advancements in connectivity, computing power, security, and AI/machine learning (ML) capabilities. Silicon Labs provided further details on the Series 3 platform, which is designed to make this vision a reality.
Series 3 SoCs
The Series 3 devices are set to tackle the increasing demands for more processing power at the far edge of IoT. These devices will be pivotal across various sectors, including smart cities, civil infrastructure, industrial automation, smart homes, and connected healthcare. They address key challenges in IoT:
- Connectivity: The Series 3 portfolio will offer products across all major protocols and frequency bands, with the first device featuring the world’s most flexible IoT modem, allowing concurrent operation on three wireless networks with micro-second channel switching
- Computing power: These multicore devices will include Arm Cortex-M processors and dedicated co-processors for radio, security, and high-performance machine learning. The most scalable memory architecture in its class will allow for complex applications, supported by Cortex-M33 processors at 133 MHz and dual Cortex-M55 processors running at over 200 MHz
- Security: Series 3 devices will feature Silicon Labs’ Secure Vault High, including Authenticated Execute in Place for trusted communication with the Cloud. With the world’s most secure memory interface, these devices will safeguard intellectual property and defend against physical attacks. They will also incorporate post-quantum encryption standards from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
- AI Capabilities: Select Series 3 devices will include Silicon Labs’ second-generation Matrix Vector Processor, a dedicated ML accelerator that can enhance performance by up to 100 times in battery-powered, wireless devices, significantly reducing power consumption
AI at the Edge
A key factor in this IoT revolution is data, which flows between Edge devices and the cloud. Edge devices can make real-time decisions, such as smart thermostats adjusting heating, while also acting as data collectors for large-scale Cloud-based AI applications. These devices can help filter valuable data, improving AI systems by highlighting edge cases.
The first Series 3 system-on-chip (SoC) is currently being tested by customers, with more details expected in the first half of 2025.
Continued success of Series 1 and Series 2 SoCs
Silicon Labs’ Series 1 and Series 2 platforms continue to scale IoT by providing secure, reliable connectivity and opening up new applications. The Series 2 platform has been expanded with the general release of the SiWx917 family of Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth LE ICs, including the SiWG917 wireless MCU, the SiWN917 network co-processor, and the SiWT917 radio co-processor IC. These chips are designed for ultra-low-power Wi-Fi 6 applications, capable of up to two years of battery life on a single AAA battery in select IoT use cases.
Earlier this year, Silicon Labs introduced the BG26 and MG26 devices for Bluetooth and 802.15.4 connectivity, featuring the same Matrix Vector Processor for machine learning as Series 3. These devices doubled their predecessors’ Flash, RAM, and GPIO, earning IoT Evolution’s Product of the Year award.
Emerging ambient IoT technology
Silicon Labs is also exploring the Ambient IoT space, where devices harness power from their surroundings, such as ambient light, radio waves, or kinetic energy. In collaboration with power management specialist e-peas, Silicon Labs announced the xG22E, an ultra-low-power variant of the xG22 wireless SoC. This technology reduces power consumption and enables operation within the Ambient IoT energy envelope, particularly for sensors, switches, and applications like electronic shelf labels.
With ongoing developments in Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3, Silicon Labs will continue to offer a robust range of solutions for a vast array of IoT applications well into 2025 and beyond.
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