Qualcomm Announces the Edge AI RB3 Gen 2 Chip for IoT and Robotics and a “Micro-Power” Wi-Fi SoC

Qualcomm has introduced two innovative products designed to advance the Internet of Things (IoT) and robotics projects: the RB3 Gen 2 system-on-chip (SoC) and a “micro-power Wi-Fi system” SoC. These new offerings aim to provide high-performance computing and significant power savings for embedded applications.

The RB3 Gen 2 SoC is built on the Qualcomm QCS6490 processor and delivers substantial improvements over its predecessor. It features a Kryo 670 CPU complex with a combination of high-performance and low-power cores, including one Cortex-A78 Kryo Gold Plus core running at up to 2.7GHz, three Cortex-A78 Kryo Gold cores at up to 2.4GHz, and four Cortex-A55 Kryo Silver cores at up to 1.9GHz. This configuration ensures robust performance for various IoT and robotics workloads.

The RB3 Gen 2 also boasts a sixth-generation Qualcomm AI Engine, equipped with Hexagon 770 tensor and scalar accelerators and vector processing extensions, delivering up to 12 tera-operations per second (TOPS) of AI computing power. This makes it well-suited for on-device AI tasks, enabling real-time processing and advanced machine-learning capabilities. Additionally, the SoC includes an Adreno 643L graphics processor and an Adreno 633 vision processing unit, enhancing its capabilities for computer vision and graphical applications.

Connectivity is another strong point of the RB3 Gen 2, which supports tri-band Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 with Bluetooth Low Energy Audio. It also includes NFC support, a GNSS receiver for accurate positioning, and five camera inputs managed by a Spectra image processor. The SoC can handle up to two displays at 1080p144 on-device or 4k60 external, supporting both LPDDR5 and LPDDR4X memory. Qualcomm has committed to a 15-year availability under its longevity program, ensuring long-term support for developers and manufacturers.

Complementing the RB3 Gen 2 is the Qualcomm QCC730 SoC, a micro-power Wi-Fi solution targeting battery-powered IoT devices. According to Qualcomm, the QCC730 offers up to 88 percent power savings compared to previous-generation parts. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity and is designed to handle TCP/IP networking while maintaining low power consumption and a small form factor.

The QCC730 launches with an open-source integrated development environment (IDE) and software development kit (SDK) that includes cloud offload capabilities. This makes it easier for developers to integrate and deploy IoT applications. Qualcomm positions the QCC730 as a high-performance alternative to Bluetooth for IoT applications, given its superior power efficiency and robust networking capabilities.

Both the RB3 Gen 2 and QCC730 SoCs are designed to accelerate the development of advanced IoT solutions. The RB3 Gen 2 offers powerful AI processing and comprehensive connectivity options, while the QCC730 focuses on ultra-low power consumption for always-on, battery-powered devices. Together, these new products from Qualcomm provide a robust platform for the next generation of IoT and robotics applications.

More information on the RB3 Gen 2 is available on the Qualcomm website, along with two development boards built in partnership with Thundercomm — available to pre-order at $399 for the base Core Kit and $599 for the Vision Kit, which includes both high-and low-resolution camera sensors.

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