XMOS and Synapticon partner on robotics

The two companies are working together to support emerging trends such as Industry 4.0 in the USD 170bn factory automation market as well as the fast growing service robotics market. The partnership includes joint development, support and marketing initiatives that will help designers combine multiple computational elements, sensors and actuators in a new category of applications often known as cyber-physical systems. As part of the agreement, XMOS will market a range of development platforms based on Synapticon’s SOMANET hardware and software modules. Ultimately the companies plan to jointly provide single-chip silicon solutions and system-level intellectual property that will support the next generation of intelligent embedded devices. The new partnership builds on the already strong relationship between the two companies, which has seen Synapticon base its complete range of SOMANET products on the xCORE range of multicore microcontrollers from XMOS. “Initiatives such as Industry 4.0 and the move to embedded intelligence represent both an unprecedented opportunity, and a major challenge for the embedded design community,” said Nigel Toon, President and CEO, XMOS. “Synapticon is a leader in cyber-physical systems design: our companies have a longstanding partnership in this field. Now is the right time to broaden and deepen this relationship, which has already yielded impressive results, as we work to turn vision into reality.” Nikolai Ensslen, CEO, Synapticon said: “xCORE is the pre-eminent programmable platform for designers working on demanding real-time embedded design. Synapticon’s hardware and software are already delivering solutions to some of the most challenging design problems in the embedded market. Strengthening our ties with XMOS will not only allow us to forge ahead with new technology developments, it will also increase the reach and uptake of Synapticon products in the market.”