Power has always been the limiting factor in edge AI. Devices such as wearables, health monitors, and asset trackers need to be always-on, but they can’t rely on big batteries or frequent charging. Ambiq’s new Apollo510B, part of the Apollo5 family, tackles this problem by combining low-power processing with integrated wireless and graphics support in a single chip.
Processing and Memory
The SoC is built around an Arm Cortex-M55 core with Helium vector extensions and Ambiq’s turboSPOT technology. Running at up to 250 MHz, it promises a 30× boost in AI power efficiency and significantly faster performance than the Cortex-M4 class processors found in many existing embedded designs. For developers, this means real-time workloads like voice detection or continuous sensor fusion can run within much tighter energy budgets.
On-chip resources include 3.75 MB of system RAM, 4 MB of non-volatile memory, and expanded cache. That memory footprint allows for faster execution of AI models and more responsive behaviour in devices that need to operate without cloud dependence.
Wireless and User Experience
What sets the Apollo510B apart from earlier Apollo5 devices is the inclusion of a dedicated 48 MHz network processor and Bluetooth Low Energy 5.4 radio. This opens the door to more capable always-connected devices while keeping radios from draining system power.
For user-facing products, Ambiq has also added its graphiqSPOT engine, a hardware accelerator for 2D and 2.5D graphics. Features like anti-aliasing, dithering, and alpha blending help bring smoother visuals to small displays, something that is increasingly expected in consumer wearables and medical monitoring devices.
Security at the Edge
Edge systems often handle sensitive personal or operational data. To address this, the Apollo510B includes secureSPOT 3.0 and Arm TrustZone support, covering secure boot, firmware protection, and key management. These features aim to make the device suitable for use in applications where both uptime and data protection are critical.
Looking Ahead
The Apollo510B is scheduled for release in Fall 2025. For engineers, it represents a step toward more capable always-on devices: wireless, secure, graphically rich, and still able to meet the strict power budgets of edge AI.
Learn more and read the original announcement here.
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