The Raspberry Pi AI Kit is a budget-friendly add-on for the Raspberry Pi 5 that provides an affordable entry point into AI programming for students and hobbyists.
Key features and specifications:
- The $70 kit includes a Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+, a Hailo AI accelerator with a Hailo-8L AI chip rated at 13 TOPS, and mounting hardware to connect it to a Raspberry Pi 5 (sold separately for $80).
- The Hailo-8L’s 13 TOPS performance is comparable to first-generation AI accelerators in AMD’s Ryzen 7040 and Intel’s “Meteor Lake” mobile processors.
- Setup is straightforward, involving attaching the HAT+ to the Raspberry Pi 5 and connecting a camera module if desired for the included AI demos.
Exploring the included AI demos:
- Three demos are currently available that utilize the camera for AI applications:
- A pose estimation demo tracks body movements using 17 points, similar to an Xbox Kinect.
- An object detection demo identifies items held in front of the camera with reasonable accuracy.
- An image segmentation demo isolates objects for potential background replacement.
- While the demos work reasonably well with only minor errors, they mainly serve as a starting point for users to develop their own AI applications using the kit.
Verdict: A promising platform for AI experimentation and learning:
- The Raspberry Pi AI Kit fulfills its purpose as an affordable and accessible platform for students and hobbyists to get started with AI programming.
- It offers little functionality out of the box for those not interested in software development, but provides a solid foundation for creating custom AI applications at a low cost of entry.
- As the kit and its software ecosystem mature, it has the potential to greatly expand access to hands-on AI development for learners and tinkerers.
First Look: The Raspberry Pi AI Kit Is a Budget Add-On for Code Dabblers
