How Much Hardware Does Edge AI Really Need?
GreatScott’s autonomous lawn mower can navigate with centimeter-level precision using RTK GPS, but that accuracy comes at a price. After a viewer suggested replacing the expensive positioning hardware with a camera and AI, he decided to put the idea to the test. Instead of knowing exactly where the mower is, a vision system could simply look at the ground, recognize where the grass ends, and tell the robot when it needs to turn.
That raised another question: How much computer does something like that actually require? To find out, GreatScott compared three edge AI platforms ranging from a $20 microcontroller setup to a $200 single-board computer equipped with dedicated AI hardware. Each was tasked with running computer vision models that could distinguish grass from things the mower should avoid, such as gravel, stone, or wooden walkways.
A Sipeed MaixCAM (📷: GreatScott)
The cheapest option is the Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32S3...
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