OPPO Unveils First Self-designed Imaging NPU MariSilicon X and Air Glass
Today Chinese smartphone maker OPPO officially unveiled its Air Glass and self-designed imaging NPU – the MariSilicon X – at OPPO INNO DAY 2021.
MariSilicon X
Built using 6nm process technology, the MariSilicon X combines an advanced NPU, ISP, and multi-tier memory architecture to deliver incredible performance with better power efficiency, making real-time RAW processing possible to capture stunning 4K AI Night Video with live preview.
MariSilicon X’s NPU delivers 18 trillion operations per second (TOPS), more than enough computing power to support OPPO’s AI algorithms. With a power efficiency of 11.6 TOPS per watt, the NPU delivers great performance without draining the battery.
The NPU also features a dedicated tera-bps memory subsystem, which allows the chip to make full use of NPU computing power without being restricted by memory throughput. This feature significantly reduces the time needed to copy data back and forth between storage and processing units.
MariSilicon X has dedicated DDR with extra bandwidth of up to 8.5 GB/s. Its multi-tier memory architecture greatly minimizes delays and reduces power consumption caused by unnecessary read-write cycles.
When running OPPO’s AI Noise Reduction Algorithm, the MariSilicon X can achieve up to 20x faster performance compared with the OPPO Find X3 Pro. The new chip can also capture 4K AI Night Video by applying complex enhancements to each frame in real-time.
The MariSilicon X has a powerful ISP that enables images to be captured with an incredible 20bit 120db dynamic range – 4x greater than that of the Find X3 Pro. It gives images a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 between the brightest and darkest areas of the image which translates into images that are truer to life.
Thanks to its large computing power and high data throughput, the MariSilicon X revolutionizes the imaging pipeline to directly perform real-time 4K AI processing and 20bit HDR fusion in the RAW domain at the pixel level. By processing original imaging data, the chip is able to achieve an 8dB signal-to-noise ratio for images, opening up a whole new world for computational photography.
Using a Dual Image Pipeline design and double raw super sampling, the MariSilicon X also unlocks the full potential of OPPO’s RGBW sensor, supporting the separation and fusion of RGB and White signals to deliver an 8.6dB improvement in signal-to-noise ratio and a 1.7x improvement in texture quality, making both photos and videos more expressive.
The MariSilicon X will make its commercial debut on the Find X Series in Q1 2022, bringing with it the most powerful imaging experience for the smartphone.
OPPO Air Glass
The aR (assisted Reality) device – which is equipped with OPPO’s own Spark Micro Projector, Micro LED, and a bespoke diffraction optical waveguide display – supports four different user interactions through touch, voice, head movement, and hand motion, allowing users to have quicker and easier access to the information they need.
The OPPO Air Glass features free-flowing curves, which give birth to its lightweight and minimalist appearance. With a total weight of approximately 30g, OPPO Air Glass can be worn much like a pair of regular glasses.
The design of the main body takes its inspiration from feathers – light, sleek and curved, with a touchbar that resembles an elegant feather shaft. The design of the monocular waveguide lens, on the other hand, is inspired by the wings of the cicada, breaking away from the conventional confines of rounded or rounded rectangular lenses on glasses. The lens is secured to a light and slim frame, which houses all the components, including the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 Platform.
The self-developed Spark Micro Projector, finished with cutting-edge Micro LED and five high-transparency glass lenses, delivers an avant-garde aR experience. By integrating OPPO’s own Micro Projector, advanced Micro LED, and custom waveguide technology, the device delivers a bright and sharp screen both indoors or outdoors.
At the heart of the OPPO Air Glass display system is OPPO’s self-developed Spark Micro Projector – one of the most compact projection systems in the industry – measuring only 0.5cc, or roughly the size of a coffee bean. The projector features a CNC metal enclosure with a glass lens module to provide better heat dissipation and stability. The projector is powered by a new type of Micro LED, which has a brightness of up to 3 million nits.
The OPPO Air Glass adopts a bespoke optical diffraction waveguide and supports two display modes – 16-level grayscale and 256-level grayscale. The glass can deliver up to 1400 nits in average brightness which will give viewers a vivid and sharp visual display under a variety of lighting conditions. Additionally, two layers of sapphire glass are used to encase the waveguide on both sides, providing protection while improving transparency.
The OPPO Air Glass can be operated using the Smart Glass App on the OPPO Watch 2 and any OPPO smartphone installed with ColorOS 11 or above. When Air Glass is paired with an OPPO Watch 2, users can also use hand gestures to confirm, cancel, and switch applications. Moreover, for a whole new way of interaction, head movements can be recognized by Air Glass, for example gently nodding or shaking the head can open and close notifications.
The OPPO Air Glass is bundled with a variety of applications, including those developed by OPPO, such as Weather, Calendar, Health, Teleprompter, Translation, and Navigation.
SEE ALSO: OPPO Find N: Firm’s First Folding Screen Flagship, To Be Released December 15
OPPO has also been working closely with Baidu to customize applications such as Baidu Walk & Bike Navigation and Explore Nearby for the OPPO Air Glass. Through the Navigation feature, users can receive instructions for travel by foot or bike, while Explore Nearby can display information about nearby stores and other attractions based on a user’s location and directional heading.
The OPPO Air Glass is due to launch in Q1 2022 in the Chinese Mainland market and will be available in two colors, Black or White, and also offer two custom frame accessories.