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Understanding GMSL Technology for Industrial Edge AI

At Things Embedded, we help customers leverage GMSL for industrial edge AI by providing the right computers, cameras, and integration expertise to simplify deployment and accelerate time-to-market.

Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link (GMSL) was first created by Maxim Integrated in California. Following the company’s acquisition by Analog Devices in 2021, the technology has continued to thrive worldwide. While it was originally intended for automotive use, GMSL is now widely adopted in many other fields, including automated guided vehicles (AGVs), collaborative robots (cobots), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), as well as agricultural and off-highway equipment.

High-speed data transmission is a cornerstone of edge AI computing, where platforms like NVIDIA Jetson process vast amounts of real-time sensor input for advanced decision-making. Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link  is a critical video interface technology that enables low-latency, high-bandwidth transfer of high-resolution camera and sensor data directly to Jetson-powered systems. With support for multi-stream sensor fusion, GMSL ensures reliable performance across complex AI workloads at the edge. Its rugged design and long-distance capabilities make it ideal for industrial and automotive deployments.

“GMSL is a high-performance, high-speed interface recognised for its high data rates, low latency, and reliability, making it especially valuable in automotive and robotics applications. While features such as Power-over-Coax bring clear benefits, complex system and software integration remain a significant challenge. We work closely with both industrial edge AI computer and camera manufacturers to simplify this integration and help customers accelerate their time-to-market.” Andrew Whitehouse, Managing Director at Things Embedded

 

Key Advantages of GMSL Technology for Edge AI

Many of our customers adopt GMSL because it provides a proven way to connect multiple high-resolution cameras and sensors to edge AI systems without sacrificing performance or reliability. In applications where real-time data processing is critical, such as robotics, industrial vision, autonomous vehicles, and advanced monitoring, GMSL ensures that video and sensor data can be transmitted with precision and stability, even in challenging environments.

The success of GMSL comes from a combination of strengths including high data rates, low latency, low power requirements, full-duplex operation, and strong data integrity, all of which make it a reliable choice for demanding applications.

Pairing GMSL with an Industrial Edge AI Computer

Pairing GMSL Sensor Technology

Because high-resolution video carries such large amounts of information, it is typically compressed before transmission. A serializer (SerDes) takes the parallel data from the sensor and converts it into a high-speed serial stream, which is then transmitted in packets over the cable. At the receiving end, a deserializer (Des) reconstructs the packets back into their original parallel form so the embedded computer can process the data correctly. Once received, the video can be used in applications such as driver assistance, precision agriculture, environmental monitoring, or autonomous navigation.

Despite its many strengths, GMSL also presents certain challenges. Compared with more straightforward interfaces like USB or Ethernet, system integration is more complex. Developers often face hurdles when working with the Virtual Channel framework, as it requires careful attention to both hardware configuration and software integration, along with a solid understanding of the underlying technology.

It is essential that the serializer and deserializer are matched, meaning they must come from the same product family to ensure proper operation. The deserializer must also be compatible with the host processor that handles the data. Processing can only continue if the processor supports the required output format, such as MIPI-CSI. The next sections outline these challenges in greater detail.

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Looking to Integrate GMSL Into Your Next Edge AI Computer?

Our team at Things Embedded can help you choose the right industrial edge AI computer and camera solutions, streamline integration, and reduce development time.