Microsoft Introduces Azure Percept to Simplify Edge AI Deployment

Microsoft unveils Azure Percept, a combined hardware and software platform designed to help businesses easily build and deploy artificial intelligence at the edge. The launch includes dedicated development kits for both vision and audio use cases.

02 Mar 2021 • 1 min read

Microsoft introduces Azure Percept, a new hardware and software platform that brings Azure AI services directly to the edge. This end-to-end solution combines Microsoft's cloud tools for device management and AI model creation with hardware from its device partners to simplify tasks like object detection and shelf analytics for businesses.

To kickstart the platform, Microsoft launches the Azure Percept Vision development kit, which features an intelligent camera and hardware-enabled AI modules for running vision models locally or in the cloud. The company also debuts Azure Percept Audio for voice-based scenarios, providing foundational blueprints for these two most common AI workloads.

Azure Percept devices automatically connect to Azure's IoT hub and give users access to cognitive services and machine learning models. Microsoft plans to certify third-party devices in the coming months so that customers can easily transition their prototypes into production without rewriting code, while ensuring all components adhere to strict responsible AI and security principles.

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