Five embedded computing companies honored at 2023 LEAP Awards

Each year, the LEAP Awards recognizes exceptional innovation that moves worldwide industries forward. LEAP stands for Leadership in Engineering Achievement Program, and this year’s expert judging panel selected the best of the best across multiple categories, including embedded computing.

The embedded computing category covers microcontrollers (MCUs), microprocessors (MPUs), or other custom-designed chips, and supporting software in ROM (Read Only Memory) that comprise embedded computing. Also included in this category are development tools and operating systems, computer boards, systems, and components, storage, and wired and wireless connectivity, including IoT and IIoT.

The 2023 LEAP Award winners in this category are:

1. GOLD
Ambarella — Centrally Processed 4D Imaging Radar Architecture

Ambarella’s winning entry was for its Centrally Processed 4D Imaging Radar Architecture for Autonomous Mobility Systems, a world first!

The judges commented: “An approach that is a departure from the norm in autonomous mobility systems, allowing for better environmental and path perception. A leap forward in integrating a broad range of optical, location, lidar, and radar technologies.”

Learn more here.

2. SILVER
Texas Instruments — AM6xA vision processors

TI’s AM6xA vision processor aims to simplify and decrease the cost of deploying machine vision applications in low-power edge AI systems. The processors are available in three variants: the AM62A3-Q1, AM62A7, and AM62A7-Q1. They support one or two cameras and consume less than 2W of power in vision processing applications.

Learn more here.

3. BRONZE
Silicon Labs — BG27/MG27

Silicon Labs’ new xG27 family of SoCs comprises the BG27, for Bluetooth connectivity, and the MG27, supporting Zigbee and other proprietary protocols.

Built around the ARM Cortex M33 processor, the BG27 and MG27 share several common features designed to make them the ideal SoC for small form-factor devices, including wafer-level chip scale packaging, integrated DCDC boost, integrated coulomb counter, and advanced security.

Learn more here.

4. HONORABLE MENTION
GreenWaves Technologies — GAP9 Processor

The GAP9 Processor allows for multi-sensor analysis (vision and sound), comprised of sophisticated neural network-based algorithms delivered at ultra-low energy and latency.

Learn more here.

5. HONORABLE MENTION
Microchip Technology — RISC-V-based PolarFire SoC FGPA

The PolarFire SOC is the first system on chip (SoC) field-programmable gate array (FPGA) with a deterministic, coherent RISC-V CPU cluster and a deterministic L2 memory subsystem enabling Linux and real-time applications.

Learn more here.