Raspberry Pi, a UK-based company known for its single-board computers, has introduced an AI Camera module in collaboration with Sony. This image sensor module, named the Raspberry Pi AI Camera, features an on-board AI processing. This enables it to process visual data and run AI models directly on the device without the need for extra components such as GPUs or accelerators.
Unlike standard cameras that merely capture images, the AI Camera can perform tasks such as object detection and image recognition. This makes it ideal for edge AI applications, including surveillance, robotics, and IoT projects. It can be utilized in smart city sensors to detect empty parking spots or track traffic flows. In industrial settings, the hardware can facilitate basic, automated quality assurance by analyzing objects passing under the camera module.
The Raspberry Pi AI Camera is priced at $70, making it accessible to a wide range of developers and businesses. This launch marks a significant step forward for Raspberry Pi, expanding its portfolio beyond traditional computing and into the rapidly growing field of artificial intelligence.