DELFT, Netherlands, May 23, 2025 – Innatera has announced the launch of Pulsar, its first commercial microcontroller designed to enable neuromorphic computing in edge devices. Developed over more than ten years of research, Pulsar offers lower latency – up to 100 times – and up to 500 times lower energy consumption compared to traditional AI processors. This release introduces a new class of ultra-efficient, brain-inspired processing at the sensor edge.
As sensors become integrated into wearables, smart homes, vehicles, and industrial systems, the demand for real-time, secure, and energy-efficient edge processing continues to grow. Pulsar addresses this by enabling intelligent, local data processing at the sensor, reducing dependency on edge processors or remote data centers for analysis.
“Pulsar is not just another AI chip – it represents a fundamental shift in how we bring intelligence to the edge,” says Sumeet Kumar, co-founder and CEO of Innatera. “This launch is the culmination of over a decade of deep research and engineering in neuromorphic computing, combined with a groundbreaking heterogeneous architecture. It marks the moment that our brain-inspired technology becomes ready for mass-market deployment. As demand for real-time, power-efficient intelligence in edge devices continues to grow, Pulsar delivers the capabilities that traditional AI hardware simply can’t – ultra-low latency, minimal power draw, and on-device decision-making. More importantly, it lays the foundation for a new class of intelligent systems that are adaptive, autonomous, and scalable. Pulsar is our first major step toward making that future a reality.”
Built for what’s next: A platform for scalable, real-world edge intelligence
Pulsar introduces a compute system based on Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs). SNNs process data by focusing on changes in input, similar to how the brain works. This design lowers energy use and latency, while supporting precise and real-time decisions. Pulsar connects neuromorphic computing with standard signal processing on one chip. The design includes a RISC-V CPU and separate accelerators for Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). This combination gives the chip broad flexibility for many applications.
“Innatera’s Pulsar chip has the potential to redefine what’s possible at the edge,” says David Harold, senior analyst, Jon Peddie Research. “By using brain-inspired Spiking Neural Networks, it brings real-time processing to ultra-low-power devices without leaning on the cloud. That means sensors that can think for themselves – faster responses, lower energy use, and smarter performance across everything from wearables to industrial systems.”
Smarter products, longer battery life
Pulsar enables product teams to implement advanced features that were previously limited by size, power, or system complexity. By processing sensor data locally, it allows the main processor to remain idle until needed, and in some cases, eliminates the need for a separate application processor or cloud support – significantly extending battery life. Operating at sub-milliwatt power levels, Pulsar supports continuous sensing tasks such as gesture recognition and object detection. It delivers real-time performance with power consumption as low as 600 µW for radar-based presence detection and 400 µW for audio scene classification.
“The combination of Innatera’s Spiking Neural Processor (SNP) and Socionext’s highly integrated, sophisticated radar sensor technology introduces a powerful new approach to reducing power consumption and minimizing false detections in challenging applications, such as battery-powered devices,” says Matthias Neumann, senior marketing manager smart sensor & smart devices at Socionext. “We are confident that this collaboration will accelerate the adoption of radar sensing solutions in the market, bringing cutting-edge technology to a wider range of industries.”
Simpler integration for sensor makers
Pulsar enables sensors to operate as self-contained intelligent modules. Its compact memory and efficient neural models reduce dependence on external processors or custom DSP pipelines, helping streamline smart sensor development and deployment.
“Aria Sensing is committed to providing advanced, highly intuitive Ultra-Wideband system-on-chip and complete solutions. The Pulsar microcontroller by Innatera facilitates real-time sensing with exceptional energy efficiency, thereby creating opportunities for continuous operation applications,” says Alessio Cacciatori, founder and CEO of Aria Sensing. “We are particularly enthusiastic about the potential of Pulsar’s neuromorphic architecture to integrate brain-inspired intelligence into our state-of-the-art 1D/2D/3D high-resolution sensing systems, leading to enhanced speed, responsiveness, and significantly improved power efficiency.”
Empowering developers with familiar tools and a new community
Innatera’s Talamo SDK simplifies neuromorphic development by allowing developers to create, simulate, and deploy spiking neural models within a PyTorch-based framework.
To support adoption, Innatera is launching a developer program for early users, aimed at fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing. The initiative will expand with an open-source PyTorch frontend and a dedicated marketplace, enabling a more accessible and community-driven approach to neuromorphic AI development.
“Innatera’s Pulsar marks a leap forward in edge intelligence. As a partner, we see their neuromorphic approach redefining what’s possible in ultra-low-power, always-on AI – exactly the kind of innovation the edge AI ecosystem needs to thrive,” says Pete Bernard, CEO, EDGE AI FOUNDATION.
“As a trusted solution partner for innovative semiconductor technologies, SmartSoC is proud to collaborate with Innatera to bring cutting-edge AI solutions like Pulsar to market. Pulsar’s unique neuromorphic architecture perfectly complements our mission to deliver smarter, more efficient products to customers across Europe and India, enabling a new generation of intelligent edge applications,” says Bharath Desareddy, CEO, SmartSoC Solutions.
Designed to unlock the future
Pulsar sets the foundation for future edge AI systems that can operate autonomously, adapt to changing conditions, and learn during deployment. Innatera’s roadmap includes progressively advancing toward self-calibrating, self-optimizing devices aimed at reducing maintenance needs and enabling new categories of edge applications.
Source: Innatera
About Innatera
The Dutch-based Innatera Nanosystems was spun out of Delft University of Technology in 2018 to develop ultra-low power neuromorphic processors that mimic the brain’s mechanisms for processing sensory data. The company is headquartered in Rijswijk, Netherlands and maintains a design center in Bangalore, India. Innatera employs approximately 84 individuals. It is a private company and, as such, is not required to disclose revenue. Innatera has raised a total of €20 million in funding over two rounds. In November 2020, the company secured €5 million in seed funding. This round was led by Munich-based deep-tech investors MIG Verwaltungs AG and the Industrial Technologies Fund of btov. In March 2024, Innatera raised an additional €15 million in a Series A funding round, including investments from Invest-NL Deep Tech Fund, the EIC Fund, MIG Capital, and Matterwave Ventures.