Benchmarking Deep Learning Models on Myriad and Snapdragon Processors for Space Applications

What is it about?

Deep space missions have limited contact with ground operations teams. It is difficult to direct a spacecraft when we aren't in contact with it, unless the spacecraft can infer details of its surroundings itself. Computer vision models based on machine learning have the potential to perform this inference. But, traditional spaceborne computers do not have enough compute power to run state-of-the-art models. Thus, we benchmark various computer vision models on two new processors optimized for machine-learned models. These processors are deployed onboard the International Space Station. This is a step towards running such models onboard a Mars Rover or satellite.

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