The Robot Report

  • Home
  • News
  • Technologies
    • Batteries / Power Supplies
    • Cameras / Imaging / Vision
    • Controllers
    • End Effectors
    • Microprocessors / SoCs
    • Motion Control
    • Sensors
    • Soft Robotics
    • Software / Simulation
  • Development
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Human Robot Interaction / Haptics
    • Mobility / Navigation
    • Research
  • Robots
    • AGVs
    • AMRs
    • Consumer
    • Collaborative Robots
    • Drones
    • Humanoids
    • Industrial
    • Self-Driving Vehicles
    • Unmanned Maritime Systems
  • Business
    • Financial
      • Investments
      • Mergers & Acquisitions
      • Earnings
    • Markets
      • Agriculture
      • Healthcare
      • Logistics
      • Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Security
    • RBR50
      • RBR50 Winners 2025
      • RBR50 Winners 2024
      • RBR50 Winners 2023
      • RBR50 Winners 2022
      • RBR50 Winners 2021
  • Resources
    • Automated Warehouse Research Reports
    • Digital Issues
    • eBooks
    • Publications
      • Automated Warehouse
      • Collaborative Robotics Trends
    • Search Robotics Database
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
  • Events
    • RoboBusiness
    • Robotics Summit & Expo
    • DeviceTalks
    • R&D 100
    • Robotics Weeks
  • Podcast
    • Episodes
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Hailo-8 powers new M.2 and Mini PCIe AI acceleration modules for edge devices

By Eugene Demaitre | September 30, 2020

Hailo launches high-performance M.2 and Mini PCIe AI acceleration modules for edge devices

The Hailo-8 processor powers two new modules. Source: Hailo Technologies

Major chip makers are not alone in offering products to help developers build artificial intelligence into edge devices such as mobile robots. Hailo Technologies Ltd. today launched the M.2 and Mini PCIe modules, which it said can perform better than competing chips, can be integrated into standard frameworks, and can enable a variety of smart machines, including robots.

Tel Aviv, Israel-based Hailo was founded in 2017 by members of the Israel Defense Forces’ elite technology unit. The company claimed that its Hailo-8 processor can perform deep learning tasks such as object detection and segmentation in real time with minimal power consumption, size, and cost. Earlier this year, Hailo raised $60 million in Series B funding and partnered with Foxconn Technology Group and Socionext Inc. to produce the latest generation of Boxiedge. Investors include NEC and ABB.

The startup claimed that its AI modules can help developers and users of edge devices that are both high-performing and cost-effective. For example, fanless AI edge boxes are in high demand because they allow many cameras or sensors to be connected to a single intelligent processing device in outdoor deployments, it said.

“For a project manager building a robotics application, there have not been many choices for what they can integrate into a solution,” said Liran Bar, vice president of business development at Hailo. “We offer a structure-defined dataflow architecture, built out of memory, control, and compute resources distributed in an efficient and flexible way. Our innovation comes from the architecture, not using dedicated memory or highly advanced nodes.”

Comparing AI modules

Hailo said its processor compares favorably with competitors in terms of frames per second (FPS) across multiple neural network benchmarks. Based on published figures, Hailo said its AI modules have a FPS rate 26 times higher than Intel’s Myriad-X modules and 13 times higher than Google’s Edge TPU modules.

Hailo-8 performance comparison

Hailo-8 versus published benchmarks for the Intel Myriad-X and Google Edge TPU. Source: Hailo

“NVIDIA is good for proofs of concept, but users face challenges with power, size, and cost,” Bar told The Robot Report. “On the software side, we provide the drivers for x86 or any embedded device.”

The Hailo-8 M.2 module is already integrated into the next generation of Foxconn’s BOXiedge, with no redesign required for the printed circuit board (PCB) and provides market-leading energy efficiency for standalone AI inference nodes, said Hailo.

“The integration of Hailo’s M.2 AI module into our BOXiedge is revolutionizing our next-generation edge computing devices and will enable us to continue supporting our mission to create innovative, efficient, and competitive products for the electronics industry,” said Dr. Gene Liu, vice president of the Semiconductor Subgroup at Foxconn. “Hailo’s M.2 and Mini PCIe modules, together with the high-performance Hailo-8 AI chip, will allow many rapidly evolving industries to adopt advanced technologies in a very short time, ushering in a new generation of high performance, low power, and smarter AI-based solutions.”

Hailo said its AI acceleration modules also integrate into standard frameworks, such as TensorFlow and ONNX, which are both supported by Hailo‘s comprehensive Dataflow Compiler. Customers can easily port their neural networks into the Hailo-8 processor, ensuring high performance, enabling smarter AI products, and accelerating time to market, claimed the company.

With the Hailo-8 AI processor delivering 26 Tera Operations Per Second (TOPS) and power efficiency of 3 TOPS/W, the modules can be plugged into any existing edge device with the appropriate M.2 or Mini PCIe sockets, said Hailo. This helps deliver high performance while reducing latency and improving privacy, it said.

“We don’t need to convince users of the need for AI; we just need to demonstrate better performance,” said Bar. “We offer a newer module than Intel or Google, and for a customer like Foxconn to change, these are not theoretical numbers. We feel very strongly about what we’re doing, which is why we’re comparing our modules with publicly available information.”

“Intel’s investment in Habana or NVIDIA’s purchase of Arm will not have any impact on Hailo because Arm has controllers, but no AI on the edge,” he added. “Their impact will be on the cloud, while we have a dedicated solution for edge applications based on neural networks.”

Hailo-8 powers modulesHailo-8 intended to accelerate time to market

Hailo said developers can plug its new AI modules into edge devices for a variety of sectors including automotive, Industry 4.0, healthcare, smart homes, smart cities, and retail. The M.2 and Mini PCIe modules can optimize time to market with a standard form factor, it said.

“Manufacturers across industries understand how crucial it is to integrate AI capabilities into their edge devices,” stated Orr Danon, CEO of Hailo. “Simply put, solutions without AI can no longer compete.”

“Our new Hailo-8 M.2 and Mini PCIe modules will empower companies worldwide to create new powerful, cost-efficient, innovative AI-based products with a short time to market — while staying within the systems’ thermal constraints,” he said.

Hailo AI module using Hailo-8

Source: Hailo

The Hailo-8 AI modules are already being integrated by select customers worldwide. “We’re already in production with some customers, and samples are now available,” Bar said. “We expect to go into mass production in the second half of 2020.”

“When we engage with customers, they have the options of the development platform, debugging tools, and direct support,” he added.

More information on the Hailo-8 M.2 and Mini PCIe AI modules can be found here.

About The Author

Eugene Demaitre

Eugene Demaitre is editorial director of the robotics group at WTWH Media. He was senior editor of The Robot Report from 2019 to 2020 and editorial director of Robotics 24/7 from 2020 to 2023. Prior to working at WTWH Media, Demaitre was an editor at BNA (now part of Bloomberg), Computerworld, TechTarget, and Robotics Business Review.

Demaitre has participated in robotics webcasts, podcasts, and conferences worldwide. He has a master's from the George Washington University and lives in the Boston area.

Tell Us What You Think! Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles Read More >

A talk being given at the 2024 Robotics Summit's Engineering Theater.
9 sessions to see at the Robotics Summit Engineering Theater
profile of Torq truck showing autonomy.
Torc debuts physical AI for long-haul trucking at NVIDIA GTC 2025
a collage of images from GTC 2025.
AI advances lead to more nimble humanoids, greater autonomy at NVIDIA GTC
Universal Robots' AI Accelerator system.
Teradyne Robotics, NVIDIA show latest AI Accelerator toolkit at GTC

RBR50 Innovation Awards

“rr
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for Robotics Professionals.
The Robot Report Listing Database

Latest Episode of The Robot Report Podcast

Automated Warehouse Research Reports

Sponsored Content

  • Sager Electronics and its partners, logos shown here, will exhibit at the 2025 Robotics Summit & Expo. Sager Electronics to exhibit at the Robotics Summit & Expo
  • The Shift in Robotics: How Visual Perception is Separating Winners from the Pack
  • An AutoStore automated storage and retrieval grid. Webinar to provide automated storage and retrieval adoption advice
  • Smaller, tougher devices for evolving demands
  • Modular motors and gearboxes make product development simple
The Robot Report
  • Automated Warehouse
  • RoboBusiness Event
  • Robotics Summit & Expo
  • About The Robot Report
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search The Robot Report

  • Home
  • News
  • Technologies
    • Batteries / Power Supplies
    • Cameras / Imaging / Vision
    • Controllers
    • End Effectors
    • Microprocessors / SoCs
    • Motion Control
    • Sensors
    • Soft Robotics
    • Software / Simulation
  • Development
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Human Robot Interaction / Haptics
    • Mobility / Navigation
    • Research
  • Robots
    • AGVs
    • AMRs
    • Consumer
    • Collaborative Robots
    • Drones
    • Humanoids
    • Industrial
    • Self-Driving Vehicles
    • Unmanned Maritime Systems
  • Business
    • Financial
      • Investments
      • Mergers & Acquisitions
      • Earnings
    • Markets
      • Agriculture
      • Healthcare
      • Logistics
      • Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Security
    • RBR50
      • RBR50 Winners 2025
      • RBR50 Winners 2024
      • RBR50 Winners 2023
      • RBR50 Winners 2022
      • RBR50 Winners 2021
  • Resources
    • Automated Warehouse Research Reports
    • Digital Issues
    • eBooks
    • Publications
      • Automated Warehouse
      • Collaborative Robotics Trends
    • Search Robotics Database
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
  • Events
    • RoboBusiness
    • Robotics Summit & Expo
    • DeviceTalks
    • R&D 100
    • Robotics Weeks
  • Podcast
    • Episodes
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe