company blog about EEASYTECH AI Chip Robot Vision SoC Selection Guide: SV823/SH516/SH518 Low-Power Edge Solutions and Imgadda’s In-Stock Supply

Robots are evolving from simply “walking” to “seeing, recognizing, and following.” Whether it’s SLAM mapping and obstacle avoidance in robotic vacuum cleaners or gesture interaction and human-following capabilities in service robots, these functions all rely on an edge AI SoC capable of performing visual inference in milliseconds while keeping power consumption at the milliwatt level. EEASYTECH’s three major series—SV, SH, and SA—form the foundation of robot vision computing power, designed specifically for the 0.5T–2T computing power range. As a long-term distributor of EEASYTECH’s full range of AI SoCs, Mingjiada Electronics provides robot developers with a one-stop procurement channel, from samples to mass production.

I. The Actual Computing Power Requirements for Robot Vision Perception: No Need to “Pile on Computing Power”

The vision pipeline of a household robotic vacuum cleaner or a lightweight service robot typically consists of four stages: image acquisition → ISP preprocessing → NPU inference → decision output. The real bottlenecks often lie not in peak computing power, but in three key factors:

Extremely tight power consumption budget: For battery-powered mobile robots, the power consumption of the continuously running vision subsystem directly affects battery life;

Strict real-time requirements: Obstacle avoidance, follow-mode, and gesture response must complete the closed-loop within tens of milliseconds and cannot rely on round-trip communication with the cloud;

BOM cost sensitivity: Consumer-grade robots are extremely sensitive to chip integration levels; external DDR and additional ISPs will drive up the overall device cost.

The design philosophy behind Yizhi chips directly addresses these three points: a proprietary NPU + built-in DDR + professional-grade ISP + streamlined packaging, compressing the core pathways required for robot vision into a single SoC.

II. Which models in Yizhi’s three major series are directly suited for robotics applications?

SV Series: 1.0T computing power tier, suitable for obstacle avoidance, recognition, and video structuring

Represented by the SV823 and SV823C, these models integrate Yizhi’s second-generation in-house NPU, delivering 1.0T of intelligent computing power. They feature 1Gb–2Gb of memory and utilize a QFN package. In robotics applications, this performance tier can simultaneously handle tasks such as human recognition, obstacle classification, and scene segmentation, making it suitable for vision modules in navigation or inspection robots that demand higher precision in visual understanding. The SV823 has been designated by Mingjiada as one of its core robot vision models for long-term supply.

SH Series: The Mainstay for Low-Power Interactive Vision

The SH516 utilizes TSMC’s 22nm process, features a QFN88 package measuring just 9mm × 9mm, integrates 1Gb of DDR3L memory, and is equipped with a second-generation in-house NPU, delivering 0.6 TOPS of computing power. The chip supports multiple power-saving mechanisms, including hardware CPU idle mode, adaptive NPU voltage regulation, and dynamic DRAM frequency adjustment, enabling efficient operation of models such as gesture recognition, human detection and tracking, and object classification.

Within the same series, the SH518 offers 0.8T–1.0T of computing power, with a deep sleep current as low as 1.5mA, and supports two camera inputs, making it suitable for interactive robot products requiring stereo vision or longer battery life.

The SH516C integrates 512 Mb of DDR2 in the same 22nm/QFN88 package. It is primarily designed for interactive algorithms such as gesture recognition, human detection and tracking, and voice keyword recognition, making it a cost-effective choice for visual interaction in lightweight service robots and smart toy robots.

SA Series: Automotive-Grade Reliability Extending to Robotics Applications

Although the SA series is primarily focused on smart automotive applications, its computing power range of 0.5T–1.5T and highly integrated design philosophy offer direct reusability for basic visual perception in robotics. For example, the SA220 series’ 0.5T computing power, dual H.264/H.265 encoding, and 5M@30fps processing capabilities can be utilized for low-power visual recording and basic perception modules in robots. Mingjiada maintains ample stock of mainstream models such as the SA220 and SA230, supporting rapid response to bulk purchases.

III. Matching of Typical Robot Functionalities with Yizhi Chips

Obstacle detection and scene segmentation in robot vacuum SLAM: Real-time NPU inference + stable ISP SV823 (1.0T)

Gesture interaction and human-shaped tracking in service robots: Low-power continuous operation + gesture/human-shaped algorithms SH516 / SH516C

Stereo Vision Obstacle Avoidance or Depth Perception: Dual-camera Input + Moderate Computing Power SH518 / SH518C

Lightweight Robot Vision Modules: Ultra-compact Package + On-board Memory SH516 (9×9mm QFN88)

Robot Vision Recording and Basic Perception: Video Encoding + Low Power Consumption SA220 Series (0.5T)

Yizhi chips have been successfully implemented in visual navigation solutions for robotic vacuum cleaners, enabling real-time obstacle detection, scene segmentation, path planning, and map building. Following Black Sesame Intelligence’s integration of Yizhi Electronics, the product roadmap further designates robotic vacuum cleaners and robotic lawn mowers as target applications for mid-range 2T–10T chips. This indicates that Yizhi’s investment in the robotics sector is sustained and supported by a clear roadmap, rather than a short-term trial.

IV. Mingjiada Electronics: A Stable Supply Channel for Yizhi’s Robot Vision Chips

For robot OEMs and solution providers, once a chip has been selected, the key concerns are whether they can secure a steady supply, conduct small-batch trials, and ensure delivery deadlines are met during mass production.

Mingjiada Electronics has long supplied the full range of Yizhi’s SV, SH, and SA on-device vision AI SoCs, covering core models such as the SV823, SV823C, SV830, SV822, SH516, SH516C, SH518, SH518C, SH518D, as well as SA220, SA230, and other core models. In terms of supply models, Mingjiada supports sample requests, small-batch trial production, and large-volume long-term supply. Relying on dual warehouses in Shenzhen and Hong Kong for inventory, the company ensures rapid delivery and a stable supply of genuine OEM products. For the common “prototype validation first, followed by gradual volume ramp-up” approach in robotics projects, this supply structure effectively reduces procurement friction during the development phase and the risk of supply disruptions during mass production.

V. Quick Guide to Model Selection

For applications requiring 1.0T-level visual understanding while maintaining compact form factors: Prioritize evaluating the SV823/SV823C, which are suitable for robot vision main chains involving parallel navigation, obstacle avoidance, and human/object recognition.

For applications centered on gesture interaction and human-following, with battery life being a key concern: The SH516/SH516C integrates an NPU, memory, and ISP within a 9×9 mm package; its 0.6T computing power is sufficient to support lightweight interaction models, and its power consumption control is a standout advantage.

For applications requiring stereo input or slightly higher computational headroom: The SH518/SH518C offers 0.8 T to 1.0 T of computational power and dual-camera support; its 1.5 mA deep sleep current is particularly beneficial for battery-powered robots.

Procurement and Supply: Samples and volume supply for all the above models are available through Mingjiada Electronics. The SA/SH/SV series offers comprehensive stock availability, making them ideal for the continuous progression of robotics projects from validation to mass production.