Himax Technologies has partnered with E Ink Holdings to introduce a smart retail solution at Touch Taiwan 2024. The technology combines Himax’s WiseEye ultralow power AI sensing with E Ink’s electronic paper displays, targeting retail signage and display markets.
WiseEye is an AI accelerator-embedded ASIC platform, designed for ultra-low power applications, ideal for deploying convolutional neural networks (CNN)-based machine learning (ML) models in battery-powered AIoT devices. It supports functions like motion sensing, human presence detection, people counting, face detection, and speech recognition, crucial for predictive maintenance, condition monitoring, asset tracking, and occupancy detection where power efficiency, bandwidth optimization, and privacy are paramount. The first-generation WiseEye Module is a combination of the proprietary WE1 AI processor and HM01B0 Always-On Sensor (AoS) camera, and is highly integrated and compact, measuring only 12.5 mm x 17.0 mm x 2.45 mm. It includes a 22-pin FPC connector for easy attachment to device boards using either a standard 24-pin ZIF FPC connector or standard assembly processes for swift system integration.
This technology helps retailers by automatically adjusting display content based on customer proximity and behavior, offering personalized marketing. It also supports better inventory management and provides insights into customer traffic and preferences.
