Aaeon announced three “Boxer-8300AI” series edge AI computers that run Linux on Intel Apollo Lake or 6th and 7th Gen Core CPUs with up to two Myriad X-enabled AI Core X modules or AI Core XPG cards.

Over the years, Aaeon has churned out dozens of Intel-based “Boxer” embedded computers, but in recent years we have seen more Arm-based Nvidia Jetson TX2 models such as the recent Boxer-8170AI. Meanwhile, Aaeon has also introduced various UP boards equipped with Intel’s Movidius Myriad 2 Vision Processing Unit (VPU) and newer, more powerful Myriad X VPU, as seen on its Whiskey Lake-U based UP Xtreme.

Now, Aaeon has launched a series of Boxer-8300AI computers, each of which is based on an earlier Intel-based Boxer design. The main difference is that they are AI enabled with 1TOPS Myriad X VPUs, which offer up to 8x time the processing power of the Myriad 2. The Boxer-8300AI computers are exclusively Linux-driven systems “supporting the full suite of Linux and Ubuntu,” says Aaeon.

Boxer-8320AI (left) and Boxer-8330AI
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The Apollo Lake based Boxer-8310AI and Skylake-U powered Boxer-8320AI appear to be available now while the larger, 6th and 7th Gen Boxer-8330AI is due in the fourth quarter. The systems “feature improved thermal design, allowing the Intel Movidius Myriad X to operate at higher temperatures without loss of performance,” says Aaeon.


Boxer-8310AI rear view (left) and five variants of UP AI Core
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The Boxer-8310AI and Boxer-8320AI deliver the Myriad X firepower in the same mini-PCIe-based AI Core X modules found on the Up Xtreme. The Boxer-83301AI features a pair of the full-size PCIe AI Core XP8 cards, each of which includes 8x Myriad X VPUs. Although the announcement lists only the upcoming Boxer-83301AI as supporting Intel’s OpenVINO toolkit for running AI inferences on frameworks such as TensorFlow or Caffe, OpenVINO support is mentioned on all three product pages.

The Boxer-8300AI computers include:

• Boxer8310AI — Compact Apollo Lake system based on the Boxer-6405; 1x AI Core X module
• Boxer-8320AI — DIN-rail 6th Gen Core U-series system based on the Boxer-6750; 2x AI Core X modules
• Boxer-83301AI — Large desktop system with PCIe slots and 6th and 7th Gen Core and Xeon CPUs based on Boxer-6841M; 2x AI Core XP8 PCIe cards

 
Boxer-8310AI

When the Boxer-6405 launched last year it was already promoted as an AI machine thanks to its optional UP AI Core mini-PCIe accelerator based on the Myriad 2 VPU. The Boxer-8310AI is essentially the same hardware coupled with the newer Myriad X VPU loaded onto Aaeon’s AI Core X module.

Boxer-8310AI (left) and earlier Boxer-6405
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The system runs Linux on a quad-core Pentium N4200 or dual-core Celeron N3350 from the Apollo Lake generation with up to 8GB of DDR3L. The only differences we can see compared to the Boxer-6405 include a 2mm shorter height (166 x 106.6 x 35mm) and a slightly lower temperature range (-25 to 55°C). The mini-PCIe slot used for wireless is now populated by the AI Core X module, but you still get another mini-PCIe for mSATA.

The Boxer-8310AI is further equipped with 2x GbE, 4x USB 3.0, 3x RS-232/422/485 (DB9), and single HDMI 1.4b and VGA ports. You also get audio jacks, a 9-24 terminal block input, and vibration resistance, among other features detailed in our Boxer-6405 report.

 
Boxer-8320AI

Based closely on last year’s DIN-rail form-factor Boxer-6750, the Boxer-8320AI ships with two AI Core X modules. Although the announcement mentions 7th Gen Core support, the product page lists only the dual-core, Intel 6th Gen Skylake Core i3-6100U with 15W TDP.

Boxer-8320AI (left) and earlier Boxer-6750
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Aside from the slightly different 186.2 x 151.5 x 67mm dimensions and -25 to 60°C operating range, the only other difference we can see compared to the Boxer-6750 is the addition of two more USB 3.0 ports for a total of four. Both systems support up to 16GB DDR4-2133 and offers a 2.5-inch SATA bay. The two mini-PCIe slots are used up by the AI Core X modules.

A pair of GbE ports are available along with 4x RS-232/422/485 ports and single HDMI and VGA ports. Once again, there’s a 9-30V DC terminal block and vibration resistance among other details found in our earlier Boxer-6750 story.

 
Boxer-8330AI

Aaeon has posted preliminary details on its upcoming Boxer-8330AI, which is based on the Boxer-6841M, one of a growing number of large AI systems with full-sized PCIe slots. The system similarly supports Intel’s 6th or 7th Gen Core and Xeon processors with 35W to 73W TDPs.

Boxer-8330AI (left) and earlier Boxer-6841M model A5
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The Boxer-8330AI is equipped with three PCIe slots, two of which are populated with the AI Core XP8 cards, each of which includes 8x Myriad X VPUs for 16 VPUs in total. Announced in June along with an AI Core XP4 model with half the VPUs, the fan-cooled, PCIe x4 form factor AI Core XP8 card is equipped with 4x M.2 2280 M-Key slots loaded with AI Core XM 2280 modules (also available as an option on the UP Xtreme), each of which integrates a pair of Myriad X VPUs. The AI Core XP4 is limited to two XM 2280 modules.


AI Core XP8 (left) and AI Core XM 2280
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The Boxer-8330AI measures 260 x 200 x 155mm, which is smaller than smallest Boxer-6841M A5 and A6 models, which measure 260 x 300 x 155mm. The system supports up to 32GB DDR4 and offers dual 2.5-inch SATA bays You also get 5x GbE, 4x USB 3.0, 2x HDMI 1.4b, and an RS-232/422/485 port.

The Boxer-8330AI is further equipped with dual audio jacks and dual mini-PCIe slots with a SIM slot. There are 12-24V inputs, -20 to 55°C support, and vibration resistance. The only major difference we can see compared to the Boxer-6841M is the removal of the VGA port.

It’s unclear if the third PCIe slot is available for adding other cards. We wonder if you could add an Nvidia graphics card, and if so, could they possibly collaborate with the Myriad X based XP8 or would they simply ignore each other in icy silence?

 
Further information

The Boxer-8310AI and Boxer-8320AI appear to be available now with undisclosed pricing and the Boxer-8330AI is due in the fourth quarter. More information may be found in Aaeon’s Boxer-8300AI announcement, as well as the Boxer-8310AI, Boxer-8320AI, and Boxer-8330AI product pages.