NPU (Neural Processing Units)

Compared to the text-based communication in the past, we now live in a flood of images and videos. However, conventional technologies are limited in their capacity to gather and process large data. Enter the NPU - the Neural Processing Unit. With improved computation abilities and efficiency, the NPU is set to lead the new data age. NPUs as the foundation for deep learning and artificial intelligence

The human body senses stimuli, transmits signals, makes appropriate judgments and responds to stimuli through its nervous system. The brain is a part of the nervous system and is responsible for piecing together stimuli received from our sensory organs, assessing the current situation, and issuing commands accordingly. There is a type of processor that works in very much the same way as the human brain, called the NPU or Neural Processing Unit. The NPU is made up of countless numbers of nerve cells and synapses that transmit and receive signals to and from each other simultaneously, just like the human brain. It also can be called an artificial intelligence chip, as artificial intelligence (AI) technology is incorporated so that it can learn and make decisions for itself. In a computer, the CPU (Central Processing Unit) performs the same role and processes data. While the CPU is also able to process all types of data, the NPU is optimized for simultaneous matrix operations, meaning it is capable for handling multiple operations simultaneously in real time. Not only that, but the NPU is also able to learn based on accumulated data in order to deduce optimal solutions. This is why the NPU is appraised as the perfect technology for deep learning, where computers are made to think and learn the same way humans do. Fast, smart and brainy NPU

Samsung Electronics launched the premium mobile application processor (AP) ‘Exynos 9 (9820)’ in November. With the addition of an AI-enabled NPU, the Exynos 9 (9820) has approximately 7 times the computing power of the previous model (the 9810). This impressive speed comes into its own when working with technologies like augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) by providing a dynamic and entertaining user experience that requires fast and accurate identification of features in humans and objects. While AI operations were previously carried out through a server connection, the Exynos 9 (9820) allows AI operations to occur within a mobile device for improved security. The NPU is essential for AI applications, and is expected to find uses beyond the mobile world in the fourth industries such as self-driving automobiles. It’ll be exciting to see what the age of artificial intelligence (AI) will hold for the future of NPUs.