NVIDIA has unveiled a new Jetson AGX Xavier platform that will help developers build autonomous machines to solve some of the world’s toughest problems, the company says.

The Jetson AGX Xavier module can serve as the powerful brain behind any bot, it claims, delivering the performance of a workstation server in a computer that fits in the palm of the hand.

Millions are expected to come onto the market in the years ahead.

The new technology will help to develop delivery robots that speed orders right to the door and manufacturing robots that collaborate with humans. It will also help in the development of handheld DNA sequencers that help scientists save crops from disease. 

These machines are among the first to make the leap from sci-fi into reality, thanks to the latest advances in the Jetson AGX Xavier platform, says NVIDIA.

And the massive AI capabilities powering them is moving within reach of a multitude of devices with the availability of the Jetson AGX Xavier module, the latest addition to the Jetson TX2 and TX1 family of products.

Jetson AGX Xavier will help to transform a broad range of industries, NVIDIA predicts.

Consuming as little as 10 watts – about as much as a clock radio – the module enables companies to go into volume production with applications developed on the Jetson AGX Xavier developer kit, bringing next-gen robots and other autonomous machines to life.

Software makes hard impact

The Jetson AGX Xavier module leverages NVIDIA’s world-class AI platform, which is used for numerous AI applications. This includes a complete set of tools and workflows to help developers quickly train and deploy neural networks.

It supports applications developed with the JetPack and DeepStream software development kits. JetPack is NVIDIA’s SDK for autonomous machines and includes support for AI, computer vision, multimedia and more.

The DeepStream SDK for Jetson AGX Xavier enables streaming analytics, bringing AI to IoT and smart city applications. Developers can build multi-camera and multi-sensor applications to detect and identify objects of interest, such as vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.

These SDKs save developers and companies time and money, while making it easy to add new features and functionality to machines to improve performance.

With this combination of new hardware and software, it’s now possible to deploy AI-powered robots, drones, intelligent video analytics applications and other intelligent devices at scale.

Industry support

Early users of Jetson AGX Xavier have acknowledged its processing capability and power efficiency.

It’s central to handling DNA sequencing in real time for Oxford Nanopore, a UK medical technology startup.

“We’re using Jetson AGX Xavier for our MinIT hand-held AI supercomputer, which is used to perform real-time analyses with the MinION, a powerful handheld DNA sequencer,” said Gordon Sanghera, CEO of Oxford Nanopore. “MinIT can be nearly 10 times more powerful than standard laptops and brings portable, real-time sequencing to more people in more locations.”

And Japan’s DENSO, a global auto parts maker, believes that Jetson Xavier will be key to helping it introduce a new wave of efficiency into its operations.

“DENSO can leverage its long history in auto parts manufacturing to bring AI to factories, boosting productivity and efficiency while increasing workplace safety,” said Katsuhiko Sugito, executive director of DENSO Corp. “We believe that Jetson Xavier will be the key platform driving this initiative.”

Aimed at robotics developers

Other major companies working with Jetson AGX Xavier include Yamaha, Komatsu, JD.com, Meituan, FANUC, Kawada, and Musashi Engineering.

NVIDIA announced the Jetson AGX family at its GTC Japan Event in September.

The recent announcement was made at a developer’s event in Santa Clara, in California’s Silicon Valley, where more than 400 developers met to learn more about the platform.

The Jetson AGX Xavier platform is aimed specifically at robotics developers building the next generation of autonomous machines.

The modules, which cost US$1,099 in quantities of 1,000 or more, are now available from distributors worldwide, including Arrow Electronics, NVIDIA said.