Synaptics unveiled an extension to its Astra Native AI platform with the new SR series of MCUs. This new product family, unlike the Astra SL series released last year, isn’t comprised of Linux-capable application processors. Instead, the Arm Cortex-M55 microcontrollers focus on providing high-performance, AI-native processing for Edge AI applications leveraging a built-in Arm Ethos-U55 NPU.
Built on the Arm Cortex-M55 core and the Arm Ethos-U55 neural processing unit (NPU), these MCUs are optimized for multimodal applications, including vision, audio, and voice processing. As indicated in the MCU’s block diagram (see below), the SR series also features an optional low processing SoC unit featuring an Arm Cortex-M4 @ 100MHz and a Synaptics micro NPU engine. Such a provision in this MCU is what allows the three operation tiers the company offers with the MCU series: performance, efficiency, and ultra-low-power modes, allowing intelligence across various power levels. The MCU can switch between these operation tiers depending on the task at hand and remains always-on in the low power mode. This flexibility is particularly useful for devices that require both high processing power and energy efficiency, such as battery-operated security cameras and sensors.
The press release mentions three MCUs in the SL series: the SR110, SR105, and SR102, each with its respective features. While all of them are based on the Cortex-M55 core with Arm Helium technology running up to 400 MHz, the SR105 adds an Arm Ethos-U55 NPU, and the SR110 comes with both Cortex-M4 core and the Arm Ethos-U55 NPU.
Designed for industrial vision, complex audio and consumer applications, the SR series comes with a complementing range of peripherals (see below)
Synaptics SR Series Specifications:
- CPU and AI accelerator
- Performance Domain: Arm Cortex-M55 @ 400MHz + Arm Ethos U55 NPU
- Efficiency Domain: Arm Cortex-M4 @ 100MHz + Synaptics NPU engine
- Multi-level inferencing with intelligent gearing
- Memory and Storage
- Up to 3008 kB system memory + 630 kB ULP memory for image and audio storage
- Retention Memory – 1448 kB of system and ULP memory
- AON (Always-on) Memory – 16 kB
- Imaging & Audio
- Camera Interfaces – MIPI-CSI input and output, digital camera support
- Audio Interfaces – Digital microphone (DMIC), I2S, and audio voice activity detection (VAD)
- Integrated ISP and computer vision pipeline
- Connectivity & I/O
- Up to 42x general-purpose I/Os (GPIOs) at 1.8V
- USB 2.0 HS (480 Mb/s)
- SPI, SDIO, I3C, I2C, xSPI + XIP, UARTs
- Security
- Secure Boot & Firmware Update
- On-the-Fly XIP Decryption
- Hardware Encryption: AES-256, RSA-4096, SHA-512
- True Random Number Generator (TRNG)
- TrustZone Security
- Power management
- 3.3V & 1.8V external or 3.0 – 3.6V battery supply
- AON Power Island: Stays active in low-power mode for wake-up functions
- Battery Voltage Monitor
- Power-Enable Pin: Allows power-up from full shutdown via external GPIO or button
- Low-power modes
- Active Mode: Sub-100 mW
- Low-Power Mode: Sub-10 mW
- ULP Always-On Mode: Sub-100 μW
- Power-Down Mode: Full shutdown with wake-up support
- Packages – WLCSP and BGA packages
The Astra SR series has an open-source SDK based on an Arm-based RTOS model and LiteRT. The press release mentions prototyping support through the Astra Machina Micro Dev Kit, but I could not find more information on the web about it, apart from a request form.
The SR110 is available for sampling, and other Synaptics’ Astra SR Series MCUs will be available soon for sampling and sales. You can find more information on the MCU series in the product page.
Samrudhi is an analyst at Wired and Wireless Technologies (WAWT). With a passion for IoT, electronics, and power electronics, Samrudhi has been involved in writing engaging technical content for about 2 years.
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