Physical AI BoF from MIPI invites robotics companies

MIPI Alliance has recently launched a new industry participation process for the Physical AI BoF, a Birds of a Feather group that aims to explore interface requirements for emerging humanoid robot systems. This group is open not only to MIPI members but also to companies outside the membership circle that operate within the physical AI ecosystem.

Following the announcement of the group on 28 April, MIPI Alliance has set its initial focus on humanoids. The alliance plans to evaluate how existing MIPI specifications, and potential extensions to these specifications, could effectively support machines that integrate high sensor bandwidth, embedded compute capabilities, motion control, and energy-efficient operation.

Exploring Humanoid Architectures

The Physical AI BoF will delve into the current hardware and software architectures utilized in humanoid robots. The group aims to create system diagrams for key applications and pinpoint areas where MIPI specifications could be repurposed or improved. Ultimately, the output of this analysis is expected to culminate in a formal recommendation to the MIPI Alliance board regarding potential specification development opportunities.

Edo Cohen from Valens Semiconductor leads the group as the chair and also serves as the vice chair of MIPI’s Technical Steering Group. MIPI highlights that many robotics systems currently draw inspiration from mobile, automotive, and industrial architectures. However, the humanoid sector is progressively transitioning towards more efficient commercial designs that emphasize power efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and compact size.

Significance of Physical AI Interfaces for MIPI

Standardized interfaces play a crucial role in humanoid platforms due to their complex requirements. These systems often necessitate multiple components such as cameras, sensors, microphones, displays, actuator controls, and high-speed data transfer capabilities, all within compact and power-constrained designs. This makes the Physical AI BoF a natural extension of MIPI’s established work in mobile and mobile-influenced sectors like automotive, IoT, and robotics.

MIPI Alliance references projections from Yole Group indicating a 56% compound annual growth rate for the humanoid robot market, expected to surpass $6 billion by 2030 and potentially reaching $51 billion by 2035. In the near term, the challenge for suppliers lies in transitioning humanoid platforms from custom lab setups to standardized architectures that component vendors and OEMs can readily adopt.

MIPI’s ongoing interface development work is particularly relevant in this context. The alliance has already demonstrated its ability to extend mobile-origin interface technologies into safety-critical and sensor-intensive applications, as seen with the mass production of MIPI A-PHY in automotive settings. Additionally, MIPI has been actively involved in discussions around physical AI at the board level, exemplified by initiatives like the Arduino VENTUNO Q launch, which integrates local inference and real-time control on a unified embedded platform.

Participation in the Physical AI BoF

Associates of MIPI member companies can engage with the Physical AI BoF through the Causeway member site. Non-member companies interested in participating can complete the designated form, after which MIPI will confirm their inclusion in the group within 3-5 business days. Detailed meeting information is expected to be released in the upcoming weeks.

Early participants in the initiative include prominent companies such as Amphenol, Intel, KIOXIA, Lattice Semiconductor, LG Electronics, MediaTek, NXP Semiconductors, Bosch, Samsung Electronics, Sony Group, STMicroelectronics, Synopsys, TDK, Texas Instruments, Unisoc, and Valens Semiconductor, among others.