Alif Semiconductor Development Kits for Edge AI Solutions

Alif Semiconductor delivers a scalable hardware platform tailored to the specific power and performance needs of Edge AI. Their architecture solves the traditional trade-off between battery life and processing capability.

The Ensemble family of Fusion Processors scales from single-core MCUs to quad-core devices, combining highly efficient Arm Cortex-M55 cores with Cortex-A32 cores for heavier application workloads. These are supported by dedicated Arm Ethos NPUs to accelerate machine learning workloads like object detection, voice recognition and generative AI.

The Balletto family brings this architecture to wireless applications, integrating Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Matter connectivity with hardware-accelerated AI.

Alif Semiconductor Ensemble Family (Source: Alif Semiconductor)

Alif Semiconductor offers several development kits tailored to different performance tiers and design stages to assist with evaluation and prototyping across the Ensemble and Balletto range.

Ensemble E8 DevKit

Alif Semiconductor Ensemble E8 DevKit (Source: Alif Semiconductor)

The Ensemble E8 DevKit is the highest-performance evaluation platform offered by Alif. It is built around the new Ensemble E8 processor, which introduces generative AI capabilities to the edge.

The device features dual Cortex-A32 cores, dual Cortex-M55 cores, and a triple-NPU architecture: two Ethos-U55 NPUs for standard ML tasks and one Ethos-U85 NPU designed specifically to accelerate transformer networks and genAI workloads.

Engineers use this kit to evaluate the full potential of the E8 series, including advanced imaging pipeline and high-speed connectivity options such as gigabit ethernet. Choose this board for designs requiring complex AI processing, Linux® application support, or generative AI implementation on an embedded device.

Key Hardware Features:

• MIPI CSI-2 camera and DSI display interfaces.
• microSD card slot for expanded storage.
• 10/100 Ethernet connector (RJ45).
• 3.5mm audio line-in/line-out jacks.

Ensemble E7 DevKit (Gen 2)

Alif Semiconductor Ensemble E7 DevKit (Gen 2) (Source: Alif Semiconductor)

The Ensemble E7 DevKit targets comprehensive hardware evaluation for the mid-to-high performance range. It features the Ensemble E7 processor, which comprises dual Cortex-M55 cores, dual Cortex-A32 cores, and dual Ethos-U55 NPUs.

This board offers significant scalability. While it comes equipped with the E7, you can configure it to emulate other devices in the family, such as the E1, E3, or E5. This feature enables engineering teams to determine the exact processing requirements for a final design during the prototyping stage. The board provides access to all device signals for detailed power profiling and custom sensor integration, supporting bare-metal, RTOS, and Linux-based development.

Key Hardware Features:

• On-board J-Link debugger / serial converter.
• Full I/O breakout headers for signal probing..
• USB Type-C connectors for power and data.
• Mikroe mikroBUS™ expansion headers.

Ensemble AI/ML AppKit

Alif Semiconductor Ensemble E7 AI/ML AppKit (Source: Alif Semiconductor)

The Ensemble E7 AI/ML AppKit accelerates software evaluation and proof-of-concept generation. Unlike the general-purpose DevKits, the board arrives with essential peripherals included: a camera module, display, digital microphones, and inertial sensors.

Built on the Ensemble E7 processor, this kit enables immediate evaluation of the Ethos-U55 NPU without custom hardware integration. We recommend this kit for software engineers who need to demonstrate computer vision or audio processing capabilities quickly.

Key Hardware Features:

• 4.3″ touch-enabled display panel for HMI development.
• Integrated Camera Module.
• 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU).
• Dual digital output multi-mode microphones.

Ensemble E1C DevKit

Alif Semiconductor Ensemble E1C DevKit (Source: Alif Semiconductor)

The Ensemble E1C DevKit offers a cost-effective platform for entry-level Edge AI evaluation. Alif based this kit on the Ensemble E1C MCU. It pairs a single Cortex-M55 core with an Ethos-U55 NPU in a compact package.

This kit targets ultra-low-power applications where battery life and physical footprint define the constraints. It gives developers full access to the MCU’s pins for precise power measurement. Therefore, it serves as an ideal starting point for simple object recognition or sensor fusion in compact devices.

Key Hardware Features:

• User-programmable buttons and RGB LEDs.
• Integrated J-Link OB for programming and debugging.
• Dedicated headers for power rail current measurement.

Balletto B1 DevKit

Alif Semiconductor Balletto B1 DevKit (Source: Alif Semiconductor)

The Balletto B1 DevKit addresses designs that require both wireless connectivity and on-device processing. It utilises the Balletto B1. This chip integrates a Cortex-M55 MCU and Ethos-U55 NPU with a radio subsystem, supporting BLE 5.3 and 802.15.4 (Matter).

Alif optimised this platform for audio processing and sensor fusion tasks. With a dedicated DSP and AI capabilities, the board suits audio applications such as noise cancellation in true wireless stereo (TWS) products.

Key Hardware Features:

• On-board chip antenna for 2.4GHz radio.
• Digital and analogue interfaces.
• Access to I2C, SPI, and UART interfaces via expansion headers.

Apply for a Development Kit

If your project requires high-performance, low-power Edge AI processing, the Alif Semiconductor platform offers a highly integrated solution.

Please complete the form below to provide details regarding your application and request an evaluation kit.