Description: Ibeos is currently engaging with Microchip as an industry partner to leverage the High-Performance Spaceflight Computing (HPSC) Processor. This $50M NASA partnered development has produced an exceptional computing chip that has significant potential to solve significant space challenges over the next decade. For Ibeos' internal development of an HPSC-based computer (The Ibeos EDGE-HPSC), Ibeos has committed financial and personnel resources to develop a 3U SpaceVPX computer design that leverages this chip. The team is currently working with multiple stakeholders to develop requirements for the processor and make key design decisions. Ibeos aims to complete PDR on the EDGE-HPSC by the end of April 2024, with a fully functioning computer prototype by the first quarter of 2025 (pending availability of first HPSC chips). For this SBIR, Ibeos proposes to leverage this processor design to develop an entire computing ecosystem, that includes hardware, software, firmware, and middleware. These ecosystems provide developers with the total package required for rapid development and deployment of advanced capabilities, such as synthetic vision, robotics, autonomy, and artificial intelligence. In this proposal, Ibeos provides a significant step towards taking the High-Performance Spaceflight Computing Processor and turning it into a complete AI and autonomy edge computing ecosystem. In this proposal, Ibeos will make two significant contributions to the edge computing ecosystems. First, Ibeos will significantly improve the software development environment by enabling key libraries, tools and packages that will increase the speed of development and deployment of critical capabilities such as synthetic vision, robotics, autonomy, and artificial intelligence. Second, Ibeos will address the current limitation in random access memory. Target markets include NASA deep space missions, autonomous operations, and other commercial and government missions.

Benefits: Ibeos' proposed innovation of a High-Performance Spaceflight Computing Ecosystem is directly relevant to the needs expressed in Z2.02 High-Performance Space Computing Technology - Coprocessors for Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Specifically, this will not only allow provide a 100x increase in computational capability, but it will greatly enhance the software design cycle. Moreover, The Ibeos EDGE-HPSC SBC Ecosystem will provide the requires data storage to include Random Access Memory (RAM), communications systems such as PCIe and CXL, software and algorithms including image/perception tools, robotics and autonomy/AI, security measures such as secure boot and zero trust environments, and redundancy and fault tolerance. In addition, any NASA spaceflight mission will require radiation tolerance, mechanical robustness and energy management combined with scalable power efficiency. To meet this diverse set of requirements will require the proposed computing ecosystem. The proposed EDGE computing innovation will support all facets of the NASA mission - including innovation in autonomy, AI, Machine Learning, that will enhance both manned and unmanned space exploration.EDGE computing has significant commercial applications. In addition, the proposed EDGE-HPSC Ecosystem enhances the ability of a commercial entity to leverage the EDGE-HPSC with an infrastructure of software, firmware, and hardware that can be utilized to develop and run AI and ML applications. Ibeos' EDGE-1100, based on a commercial system-on-a-chip with enabled machine learning and significant processing power has broken into the edge computing market for space with multiple customers. Commercial applications for this technology proposed include: commercial synthetic aperture radar; communications signal processing; image data processing; autonomous behavior, and more.