The smartphone queries the cloud, the camera queries the server, the machine queries the data center. Almost all smart devices first send their data to the Internet before they can “think.” That’s set to change in the future. In the EdgeVision research consortium, researchers from the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences (HSZG) are working with partners from academia and industry on a chip that brings AI directly into the device.
The project is called EdgeVision. “Edge” refers to the location where the data is generated – for example, in a camera, a sensor, or a measuring device. In the future, AI will perform computations right there, rather than first sending data to a data center or the cloud. This saves time, protects sensitive information, and makes devices less dependent on a stable internet connection.
Saxony’s economy is set to benefit
EdgeVision is a collaborative project. Several companies and research institutions are collaborating. The project brings together three fields of the future: artificial intelligence, microelectronics, and digitalization. For the Zittau and Görlitz region, this means not only new research but also the opportunity to bring new technologies to businesses and products more quickly. What is developed in the lab is set to be put into practice soon.
However, the overarching goal of all partners is clear: In the future, AI should be used where the data is generated – quickly, energy-efficiently, and without a constant connection to the cloud.
