I was just chatting with my chum Zach Supalla, who is the Founder & CEO of Particle. As you are doubtless aware, Particle’s claim to fame revolves around the combination of system-on-modules (SoMs) coupled with edge-to-cloud infrastructure.

Their first offerings from ~10 years ago focused on edge computing for IoT devices. They started with Wi-Fi connectivity and later added cellular connectivity. One of their claims-to-fame is “it-just-works” connectivity. In the case of cellular, for example, each SoM comes equipped with a SIM card and a low-cost data plan (we’re talking a few dollars per month). As soon as you’ve powered-up your SoM and activated your data plan, you’re ready to rock and roll.

As I wrote in my Something M-azing This Way Comes column just a few months ago, Particle’s recently announced M-Series SoMs (which are pretty “aMazing”) offer Wi-Fi, Cellular, LPWAN, and satellite communications in one pert little package that also features a heavy-duty microcontroller.

Tachyon 5G AI-Enabled SBC (Click image to see a larger version -- Source: Particle)

All I can say is that the folks at Particle are busy little beavers because they’ve just launched a new Kickstarter for something they call the Tachyon, which they bill as being the "First 5G, AI-Enabled Single-Board Computer (SBC) for Everyone and Everything."

Lest you are worried about Particle’s ability to come through, I should point out that their Spark Kickstarter had a goal of $10,000 and received pledges of $567,968. This was followed by their Electron Kickstarter, which also had a goal of $10,000 and which ended up with pledges of $578,478. The folks at Particle successfully delivered both products.

Moving on, I love the Tachyon moniker, which is based on a hypothetical particle that travels faster than light. Some physicists have postulated that tachyons travel backwards in time, and that this powers the mechanism that lets the universe of the future communicate with the universe of the past, thereby guiding the universe of the past to make the correct “decisions” to end up with the universe of the future (and then things get complicated).

I’m also reminded of the book Johnny and the Bomb by the late, great Terry Pratchett (RIP). The third in the Johnny Maxwell series, this novel deals with the rules and consequences of time travel. It features Johnny, a boy in his early teens, and his friends. They discover that the trolley being pushed around their small town by an old bag lady called Mrs. Tachyon is in fact a time machine (and then things get complicated – it’s like déjà vu all over again).

But we digress… The demand for AI-enabled edge solutions is exploding in today’s technology landscape, driving the need for powerful devices featuring rich peripherals, robust AI/ML and graphics accelerators, and wireless connectivity. Particle’s Tachyon has all this and more, all in a compact, credit-card-sized footprint. A few of its features are as follows:

  • Powerful Snapdragon chipset: Octa-core Qualcomm KryoTM CPU (1x 2.7GHz, 3x 2.4GHz, 4x 1.9GHz).
  • Robust connectivity out of the box: 5G cellular connectivity and Wi-Fi 6E with on-device antennas.
  • AI/ML and graphics accelerators (12 TOPS NPU and Adreno 643 GPU).
  • Ample storage with fast performance: 4GB RAM and 64GB built-in (UFS) flash storage.
  • Computer vision ready: 2 x CSI 4-lane with ISP supporting 20+ different camera sensors (e.g. IMX519, OV13850) up to 25MP.
  • Broad peripheral compatibility: USB-C 3.1 PD with DisplayPort, 1 x 2-lane PCIe Gen 3 (NVMe compatible), and DSI 4-lane up to 1200x2520 resolution.
  • External power and built-in battery support: Powered by USB-C, DC input, or lithium-ion battery with a built-in battery charger.

Tachyon’s credit card-sized form factor is designed with modularity in mind. USB-C ports provide connectivity to a wide ecosystem of cameras, displays, and sensors, and the integrated antennas provide a “plug-and-go” experience from initial setup through commercial deployments.

The bottom line is that Tachyon’s Raspberry Pi-compatible SBC makes it possible for anyone—whether shipping at scale or for personal use—to create remotely-deployed AI-enabled IoT products. This kind of capability has previously been available only to smartphone and PC manufacturers and wasn’t readily available to the average person or business.

You can find more details on the Tachyon Kickstarter. Once you’ve feasted your orbs on what you find there, it would be great if you could come back here and share your thoughts with the rest of us in the comments below.