Speaker
Description
A well-represented class of accelerators for AI in edge deployments aren't programmed directly by the Linux kernel in the host CPU, but by firmware running on a companion core.
During the first half of 2026 alone, we have seen three different drivers submitted to the mailing list for this specific type of hardware, by their respective vendors or on their behalf (TI C7x, NXP Neutron and Qualcomm QDA).
This talk will describe in detail a proposal that aligns with the upstreaming requirements in the drm/accel subsystem and streamlines the functionality that is needed inside the Linux kernel and the UAPI. The architecture will be described in detail: firmware, kernel and userspace.
An important benefit of the approach is that users will be able to accelerate their workloads without having to integrate any vendor BSPs or vendor-specific software.