Axis Communications has announced the 8th generation of its custom-designed system-on-chip (SoC) developed for network video. The new chip will be the basis for the vast majority of Axis network video products, accelerating capabilities in superior imaging, enhanced security and powerful compression.
The ARTPEC-8 SoC accelerates the array of remarkable capabilities and features first seen within the ARTPEC-7, and has been designed to create new opportunities for impressive analytics applications based on deep learning on the edge. In addition, the fact that ARTPEC-8 was designed in-house gives Axis a level of control that is crucial to cybersecurity. Soon to be available in Australia from early next year, the SoC underlies most of the advanced capabilities of Axis’ new products, with some of the first cameras to include this chip being the AXIS Q3536-LVE/38-LVE Dome Cameras and AXIS Q1656-LE Box Camera.
“With the development of this new chipset, Axis is leading the way with advanced AI and deep learning capabilities on the edge,” says Wai King Wong, Regional Director for Oceania.
“The market across Oceania is relatively mature and constantly innovating, so it’s quite exciting to be able to provide impressive capabilities and analytics with the ARTPEC-8. It is 100% optimised for high-quality network video solutions. And, as always, we have complete control over every single transistor.”
Deep-learning-based analytics on the edge
ARTPEC-8 supports powerful analytics applications based on deep learning on the edge where cameras have the processing power to analyse data within the camera itself. An example of deep-learning-based analytics is highly granular real-time object detection and classification that makes it possible to develop analytics that can distinguish between different kinds of objects, such as types of vehicles. This is the basis for AXIS Object Analytics. It also opens the door to other deep-learning-based analytics that deliver actionable insights for security, safety, and operational purposes. Thanks to the open Axis platform, these other analytics applications will include tailor-made applications from Axis partners.
The advantages of analysing data on the edge
Deep-learning-based analytics on the edge, powered by ARTPEC-8, deliver additional significant benefits as well. Analysing data on the edge – on the camera – means no information is lost in compression or transmission making results more reliable. It allows for faster alerts, which in turn lets users act instantly to protect people and property and make the right decisions about their operations. It creates cost savings because less bandwidth and storage and fewer servers are needed. Decreased bandwidth and storage requirements also significantly reduces the risk of sensitive data loss and fewer servers improves scalability.
Increased analytics performance and the best imaging
ARTPEC-8 continues to facilitate Axis Lightfinder 2.0 and Axis Forensic WDR for the best image processing under difficult light conditions. These are part of the foundation for Axis Scene Intelligence technology, which increases the performance of analytics applications. The result is consistent analytics results and fast, accurate forensic search capabilities with minimal false alarms even under challenging surveillance conditions. Scene Intelligence puts market-leading expertise from decades of experience with image processing to work.
Cybersecurity benefits
ARTPEC-8 builds on cybersecurity features introduced with ARTPEC-7, including signed firmware and secure boot. ARTPEC-8 supports Edge Vault for secure storage of cryptographic keys and certificates. Trusted Platform Module (TPM) for FIPS-compliant secure storage will be available in certain cameras.
