Xilinx and Eutecus Demonstrate Programmable Embedded Video Analytics Platform at Electronica 2008

Companies unveil industry's first full video analytics suite on a single FPGA to provide lower cost, higher processing power for a new class of surveillance products

MUNICH, Germany -- Nov 11, 2008 -- Xilinx, Inc., and Alliance Program member, Eutecus, Inc., a leading provider of advanced image processing solutions, will demonstrate the industry's first full video analytics suite on a single field programmable gate array (FPGA) at Electronica 2008. The analytics suite leverages the digital signal processing capabilities of the Xilinx(R) Spartan(R)-3A DSP FPGA platform and a Multi-core Video Analytics Engine (MVE(TM)) from Eutecus. Combined with the Xilinx XtremeDSP Video Starter Kit - Spartan-3A DSP FPGA Edition, the Eutecus MVE is an easily configurable, compact and high-performance processing architecture for embedding a cost-effective, complete video analytics solution in a single FPGA into video surveillance cameras and related network devices.

Electronica 2008 attendees can see Xilinx and Eutecus demonstrate the technology in Booth A4.107, at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre.

The intelligent video analytics market for surveillance is expected to top $800 million by 2012 according to market research firm IMS. The Eutecus video analytics processor targets applications such as video surveillance cameras and video encoders which reside at the edge of the network to help reduce the bandwidth requirements of the data network. The Eutecus video analytics processor provides a complete set of metadata to drive a wide range of video analytics functions and as well as automated system control. It is also more efficient from a processing standpoint to analyze video data before compression of the video stream.

Designers and providers of video surveillance network devices such as cameras and DVRs, will benefit from implementing this fully functional video analytics capability to support real-time analysis and response. Past approaches precluded a single-chip solution from being commercially or technically viable due to processing, cost and power constraints. By leveraging the price/performance benefits of the Spartan-3A DSP FPGA, multiple detection functions such as camera tampering, virtual barrier, object left behind, and people counting can be cost-effectively integrated into a camera.

"The parallel processing capabilities of a Xilinx Spartan-3A DSP FPGA is a perfect fit for this application. Traditional approaches achieve one or two algorithms at QVGA/VGA video resolutions at sub-video frame rates. The Eutecus solution enabled by the Spartan-3A DSP FPGA is able to achieve high-definition processing with all algorithms running simultaneously," said Mark Jensen, senior business manager for ISM Vertical Markets at Xilinx. "The integrated DSP and embedded processing enables single-chip solutions at high-definition video rates and provide a flexible platform for product evolution."

MVE is capable of handling high-definition resolution at video frame rates, consuming less than one watt, while fully executing multiple event- detection and classification algorithms in parallel. Combining an inherently parallel multi-core processing architecture and embedded complex video analytics algorithms in a single configurable building block, MVE reduces hardware design and programming effort, resulting in lower development cost and quicker time to market.

"The Xilinx Embedded Development Kit (EDK) allowed us to implement a very flexible architecture in the Spartan-3A DSP FPGA," explained Dr. Csaba Rekeczky, vice president and CTO of Eutecus. "We created a dual-processor architecture based on the Xilinx MicroBlaze(TM) embedded processor with a co- processor composed of a modular chain of hardware accelerator IP cores in the FPGA fabric to meet our exact performance requirements, which included processing high-definition video at full frame rates."

The Xilinx Spartan-3 DSP FPGA and ISE(R) Design Suite give analytics design teams more flexibility in customizing solutions for end customers. MVE-based video analytics applications and system-on-chip (SoC) solutions are tailored quickly, meeting customers' specific needs with improved functionality. The implementation of MVE on the XtremeDSP Video Starter Kit - Spartan-3A DSP FPGA Edition simplifies testing and evaluation for the designer.

Availability

Licensing for the MVE Evaluation Kit is available now from Eutecus at http://www.eutecus.com. The XtremeDSP Video Starter Kit - Spartan-3A DSP FPGA Edition is available now from Xilinx at http://www.xilinx.com/vsk_s3.

About Eutecus

Eutecus develops and delivers firmware and software capabilities in the area of improved high-speed video analytics for commercial and military applications. The Company's core IP, based on its proprietary Cellular Visual Technology (CVT(TM)), and implemented in the Multi-core Video Analytics Engine (MVE), enables real time, bio-inspired and massively parallel visual computing. Mimicking the operation of the human eye, CVT and MVE yield significant improvements beyond the current state of the art in applications primarily in the areas of security, surveillance and reconnaissance. For more information, visit http://www.eutecus.com.

About Xilinx

Xilinx is the worldwide leader in complete programmable logic solutions. For more information, visit http://www.xilinx.com.