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IoT & edge26 October 20265 min read

Embedded AI and TinyML: running models on microcontrollers

TinyML runs machine-learning models on microcontrollers with very little memory and power. It suits simple, always-on tasks such as detecting a keyword, a vibration pattern or an anomaly in a sensor stream.

In this post
  1. Why do it
  2. Making a model fit
  3. Limits
  4. Sources and further reading

Why do it

  • Responds immediately, without a network.
  • Uses very little power, so it can run on a battery for a long time.
  • Raw data, such as audio, never leaves the device.

Making a model fit

  • Choose a small architecture for one narrow task.
  • Quantize the model to 8-bit integers.
  • Convert it with a runtime built for microcontrollers, such as TensorFlow Lite for Microcontrollers.
  • Measure memory, speed and energy on the real chip.

Limits

Models are small and capabilities limited. Updating them in the field is harder than updating a cloud service, so plan for it. Test on the real sensor data and in the real environment, since a model can behave differently away from the lab.

Sources and further reading

  1. TensorFlow Lite for Microcontrollers. tensorflow.org/lite/microcontrollers.

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