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Esp32 - Micro Controller Redefined


 

When it comes to ioT (Internet of things) applications, there are number of micro controllers that provide salient features. One of them being ESP32 module, developed by Espressif Systems.

This micro controller has low power consumption and, is economical by cost. Some of the main features include

  • Integrated WiFi and Bluetooth
  • Uses RISC-V (Reduced Instruction Set Computer)
  • Has single and dual core variant
  • Can connect additional modules, like camera for image recognition
But what makes it really stand out, is its integration to TensorFlow lite.  Yes, this chip is able to house AI capabilities. Coding is done via Arduino development environment. 

TensorFlow in an open source neural software library, used in Machine learning. Developed by Google Brain, AI models can be trained in the field of Image Recognition, Natural Language Recognition (NLP) etc. Coding environment is primarily Python. TensorFlow lite is a mini version which can run locally on smaller devices.  This reduces the need to connect to the cloud.

An example would be a fire alarm system where, sensor records temperature changes in the vicinity. Using pre learned AI model, the micro controller then initiates an alert, based on set parameters. 

To start experimenting with ESP32, various development boards are available. Do check the link below 


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