AI at the Edge Report. Chapter 4: Future of Edge AI with Wi-Fi Technology

Our new report, AI at the Edge: Technology Accelerated by Wi-Fi Services, dives deeply into the convergence of Wi-Fi services and Edge AI and explores how a technology model like WaaS can accelerate the adoption of AI at the edge. 

Below is an excerpt from the final chapter of the report. To read the full report, including in-depth case studies, download it now.

The next years of this decade are going to be extremely exciting for AI, particularly Edge AI. And with Wi-Fi Services like Relay2 revolutionizing the access point market, the future is going to be very promising indeed. The surging demand for AI applications that offer real-time, low-latency, and privacy-conscious capabilities will usher in a wave of Edge AI implementations. These deployments are poised to become increasingly precise and efficient, capitalizing on advancements in communication networks, such as Wi-Fi 6, coupled with innovations in artificial intelligence (such as data-efficient AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). 

This transformative landscape underscores the pivotal role played by researchers, industry leaders, and open-source communities in steering the trajectory of Edge AI development. The evolution of efficient Edge AI applications relies on the progress of various technologies designed to support edge devices and enhance the computational efficiency of AI functions, including Wi-Fi services.

Increased Adoption & Integration with Edge AI

As the demand for real-time processing and low-latency applications continues to surge, the integration of Edge AI with Wi-Fi services will follow suit. The agility and scalability of Wi-Fi seamlessly complement the requirements of edge computing and AI. For instance, the latest generation of Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi 6, promises much faster data transfer speeds that can reach up to five times the speeds of Wi-Fi 5. This is complemented by reduced power usage, increased capacity, and enhanced performance, providing higher connection reliability in environments with multiple connected devices. This is where Relay2 sets a standard with its Wi-Fi services, pushing for innovation that leverages advancements like Wi-Fi 6. With a dynamic system that ensures flexibility and security, Relay2 offers virtual access control and simultaneous HD video sessions that can support up to 128 sessions. This is further supported by high performance and management of heavy traffic, capitalizing on an average throughput DL that exceeds 2 Gbps and handles 1,024 clients concurrently.

This is bound to grow and enhance the adoption and integration with Edge AI in order to enrich the user experience. By implementing AI at the edge for efficient data processing and leveraging Relay2’s proactive real-time analysis and natural language adaptability, businesses and organizations can elevate their user experience beyond merely improving connection reliability. This synergy allows for efficient processing closer to data sources, reducing latency and enhancing overall system responsiveness.

With Wi-Fi 7 being the next generation of Wi-Fi, we could see an even more seamless and immersive user experience and an advanced Edge AI performance, building on its new features such as multi-link operation (MLO), 320 MHz superwide channels, and a 4k quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM). This convergence of state-of-the-art communications and information technologies, such as cloud-native Wi-Fi services, edge computing, IoT, and AI, is driving a massive leap in management efficiency and social productivity. The hybrid edge-cloud architectures and applications are likely to surge in the very near future, ensuring not only high speed and efficiency but also the ability to run multi-modal generative AI and language models at the edge . In the second half of this decade, we will arguably witness an unprecedented increase in the adoption of Edge AI across numerous applications, rendering the technology mainstream.

Computer Vision & the Impact of Edge AI and Wi-Fi

One area where the convergence of Edge AI and Wi-Fi services is poised to have a high impact is computer vision applications. With the capability to process data locally, Wi-Fi-empowered edge devices can execute intricate computer vision tasks with unparalleled speed and efficiency. This transformative shift not only minimizes reliance on centralized cloud servers but also allows positioning systems to optimize energy and costs, enabling applications such as facial recognition, object detection, and automated surveillance to operate seamlessly in real time.

With localization techniques such as Wi-Fi-based positioning systems (WPS) and the advent of convolutional neural networks (CNNs), we can detect and extract spatial patterns from visual data in a remarkable manner. This has the potential to transform industries, including healthcare, retail, automotive, and traffic management. Combining the high-processing capabilities of cloud computing with the real-time features of edge computing and the connectivity enhancements brought about by Wi-Fi technologies can enable AI to lift computer vision to a different level. Consider industrial automation in large factories and warehouses, smart cities with optimized traffic control, retail centers and shopping complexes with enhanced services and store layouts based on monitored customer behavior, and even remote medical services and patient monitoring that enable accurate diagnosis in real time. All these developments can take place by leveraging computer vision that is powered by AI at the edge.

While there are still challenges standing before computer vision today, such as high processing power and high-quality data, the potential that Edge AI brings, supported by Wi-Fi capabilities that ensure fast and seamless data transfer - even in remote areas where accessibility would otherwise be difficult - will propel computer vision and enable it to be a much more potent and ubiquitous technology. 

With on-device inference capabilities and functionalities that enable computer vision within edge and mobile devices, image and pattern recognition can improve significantly, taking advantage of edge computing’s reduced latency, enhanced security, and minimized costs. Integrating AI into the mix enables even low-cost cameras to act as smart cameras, with deep learning methods enabling better identification and interpretation of data patterns. This is further enhanced by leveraging data from multiple devices connected via Wi-Fi, which provides AI with more comprehensive data, reinforcing its precision and understanding.

Conclusion: Wi-Fi-Powered Edge AI - A Technology for the Future

Wi-Fi and Edge AI represent a technological paradigm shift with far-reaching implications. The convergence of Wi-Fi with Edge AI is not just a technological evolution but a fundamental reshaping of the digital landscape. As this symbiotic relationship matures, it propels us towards a future where Edge AI is not just a technology but an integral and indispensable part of our interconnected world. The potential for transformative applications is immense, urging both developers and sellers to explore the uncharted territories of innovation and contribute to the unfolding narrative of Edge AI's promising future.

This not only addresses the computational needs of Edge AI but also aligns with the growing trend of connected devices in smart buildings, industrial settings, healthcare, retail, and smart cities. The integration of Edge AI with Wi-Fi services brings forth a boost in performance, user experience, and security measures, ensuring that sensitive data is processed locally. This transformation leads to the development of robust, always-on systems capable of meeting the stringent privacy requirements of contemporary applications and the ever-growing need for better performance, flexibility, scalability, and reliability.

Throughout this report, we explored the capabilities and impact of Edge AI, especially when coupled with Wi-Fi services. We highlighted the valuable insights provided by Relay2, the leading Wi-Fi technology provider for the Edge AI market. Relay2's Service Points technology is designed to deliver exceptional application performance while enhancing security, privacy, and scalability at the edge. 

The Relay2 ServiceEdge Platform harnesses the power of Wi-Fi Services with Edge Computing to create a digital world where application performance and user experience not only remain uncompromised but are also enhanced. We also dove into particular applications and reviewed some use cases of Wi-Fi services edge computing. And finally, we took a look at the future of these technologies and how they will impact our businesses and way of living in the coming years. All this could not have been done without the support of Relay2 in developing this report. 

Relay2 is committed to empowering its partners by providing comprehensive, innovative solutions to ensure mutual success leveraging Wi-Fi Services with Edge Computing and the Relay2 ServiceEdge Platform. Therefore, developers and sellers are encouraged to partner with Relay2 to unlock the full potential of technology and shape a seamless digital future. The convergence of Wi-Fi with Edge computing can reshape the digital technology and business landscape, and Relay2 is at the forefront of this transformation.

Acknowledgments

This report is the result of collaborative efforts between Wevolver and Relay2. Initial input was graciously provided by Relay2’s Eric Chen and Daniel Kwong, sharing their insights, expertise, and case studies, creating a robust technical substructure for the report. Then, the author further expanded upon this information to develop a comprehensive and insightful text, supported by the content and design team at Wevolver. Thank you to all contributors and supporters, and special thanks to Relay2.

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