A 28nm AI microcontroller

Memory bottlenecks, not computational limitations, are the true barrier holding back Edge AI. This revelation lies at the heart of Anaflash's revolutionary approach to intelligent edge computing – a breakthrough AI microcontroller with embedded flash memory that transforms how we think about power efficiency and cost in smart devices.

The team has engineered a solution that addresses the two fundamental challenges facing Edge AI adoption: power efficiency and cost. Their microcontroller features zero-standby, power-weight memory with 4-bit per-cell embedded flash technology seamlessly integrated with computation resources. Unlike traditional non-volatile memory options that demand extra processing steps and offer limited storage density, this technology requires no additional masks and scales efficiently.

At the core of this innovation is the Near Memory Computing Unit (NMCU), which establishes a tight coupling with flash memory through a wide I/O interface on a single chip. This architecture eliminates the need to fetch data from external memory after booting or waking from deep sleep – a game-changing feature for battery-powered devices. The NMCU's sophisticated three-part design enhances parallel computations while minimizing CPU intervention: control logic manages weight addresses and buffer flow, 16 processing elements share weights through high-bandwidth connections, and a quantization block efficiently converts computational results.

Fabricated using Samsung Foundry's 28nm standard logic process in a compact 4 by 4.5 mm² die, the microcontroller delivers impressive results. Testing with MNIST and Deep Auto Encoder models demonstrates accuracy levels virtually identical to software baselines – over 95% and 0.878 AUC respectively. The overstress-free waterline driver circuit extends flash cell margins, further enhancing reliability and performance.

Ready to transform your Edge AI applications with technology that combines unprecedented efficiency, performance, and cost-effectiveness? Experience the future of intelligent edge computing with Anaflash's embedded flash microcontroller – where memory and computation unite to power the next generation of smart devices.