Mr. Grant Courville reports

QNX LAUNCHES FUNCTIONAL SAFETY PLATFORM TO CONSOLIDATE SAFETY SYSTEMS AND AI WORKLOADS

QNX, a division of BlackBerry Ltd., has launched a cutting-edge functional safety platform for advanced robotic systems. Working with Intel and NexCOBOT, a leading provider of key components for smart robot applications, the safety-certifiable platform consolidates robotic and safety controls onto a single NexCOBOT board, aiming to provide manufacturers and developers a way to achieve greater cost savings, lower power consumption, improve thermal efficiency and reduce risk of hardware failures.

As artificial intelligence continues to revolutionize various sectors including industrial automation, the need for robust functional safety measures becomes increasingly critical. This innovative platform, built on the Intel Core i7 processors and QNX operating system for safety, aims to meet the growing demand for integrated and safety certified solutions in industrial automation and robotics applications, especially in artificial-intelligence-powered environments. The platform provides enhanced computing power and virtualization for artificial-intelligence-driven vision systems, real-time motion control, and other essential robotic applications, all while meeting safety certification standards.

"With QNX safety-certified technology at the core of this platform, customers can take advantage of the robust, reliable foundation necessary for AI inference in robotics applications," said Grant Courville, senior vice-president, products and strategy, at QNX. "Based, on our proven track record in delivering safety-certified solutions, developers know that our platform meets the standards of safety and performance. Our continued collaboration with Intel and NexCOBOT means we are able to leverage our expertise to create a unified solution that addresses the complex demands of modern robotics and industrial automation."

Engineered to handle compute-intensive workloads while adhering to safety certification requirements, the unified hardware-software FuSa platform can expedite certification processes, cutting down time to market and compliance expenses.

"We recognize the dynamic nature of the industry and aim to develop solutions that meet the growing demands of our customers," said Ricky Watts, senior director of federal and industrial solutions at Intel. "Alongside QNX and NexCOBOT, we are focused on advancing this collaboration to deliver a solution designed to reduce development time, ease certification and lower costs for manufacturers, making this an ideal choice for developing AI-driven robotic systems, including humanoids and autonomous mobile robots operating in unstructured environments."

"NexCOBOT is proud to present the safety control platform, motion and AI control platform, and robotic safety peripherals to the market for AI-driven robotic applications, where we aim to make building smart and safe robots easy," said Jenny Shern, NexCOBOT general manager.

NexCOBOT's safety modular applications are designed to meet specific industrial requirements by offering flexible and customizable solutions. These applications feature certifiable safety components and software modules, which can be integrated into various robotic systems. By adhering to international safety standards, including ISO 10218, NexCOBOT's safety modules can incorporate essential safety functions such as position and speed monitoring with the Intel platform. This capability enables businesses to adapt to their evolving safety demands.

Join QNX at Embedded World 2025 in Nuremberg, Germany, to see live demonstrations and speak with its experts about how the QNX technology can transform your development process. Visit Hall 4, booth 4-544 to learn more.

About BlackBerry Ltd.

BlackBerry provides enterprises and governments the intelligent software and services that power the world. Based in Waterloo, Ont., the company's high performance foundational software enables major automakers and industrial giants alike to unlock transformative applications, drive new revenue streams and launch innovative business models, all without sacrificing safety, security and reliability. With a deep heritage in secure communications, BlackBerry delivers operational resiliency with a comprehensive, highly secure and extensively certified portfolio for mobile fortification, mission-critical communications and critical event management.