# Community AI Hardware

**URL:** <https://discuss.88.io/t/community-ai-hardware/1292>\
**Category:** model app\
**Tags:** ai\
**Created:** [September 10, 2023, 6:39am UTC](https://discuss.88.io/t/community-ai-hardware/1292 "2023-09-10T06:39:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![admin](https://discuss.88.io/user_avatar/discuss.88.io/admin/32/38_2.png) [@admin](https://discuss.88.io/u/admin)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2024, 12:55am UTC](https://discuss.88.io/t/community-ai-hardware/1292/2 "2024-03-05T00:55:06Z")

</div>

# Google TPU

Google has [a range of TPUs](https://coral.ai/products/), the following is an example of one of those such model being contributed the the community.

The Google [Coral Dual Edge TPU](https://coral.ai/docs/m2-dual-edgetpu/datasheet/) is a low cost way of adding TWO AI hardware acceleration processors to compatible systems (hardware and software).

 ![coral_dual](https://discuss.88.io/uploads/default/original/2X/7/7dd272cb8cba516399cc7aba6e233cfcb1e2bd34.jpeg)

Due to the limited RAM capacity inside each TPU of only 8 MByte and the complexity of running multiple models inside at the same time, having multiple AI applications share a single TPU is not recommended.

## PCI Adapter

Unfortunately, most computers do NOT have dual PCI buses wired to the same M.2 E-key connector, as required by the Coral Dual Edge TPU, so an adapter is needed in order for those computers to access both TPUs onboard.

Below is a Coral Dual Edge inserted into E-key to M-key adapter from [Magic Blue Smoke](https://github.com/magic-blue-smoke/Dual-Edge-TPU-Adapter#m2-bm-version) which is in turn inserted into the spare M.2 M-key connecter inside in a [Compute Station](https://computestation.com).

 ![adapter](https://discuss.88.io/uploads/default/original/2X/3/37be6783d2bca6a0c72c3d7b4958f774ac2ffb86.jpeg)

This adapter uses an [Asmedia ASM1182e](https://www.asmedia.com.tw/product/213yQcasx8gNAzS4/b7FyQBCxz2URbzg0) chip to expose both TPUs on the Coral Dual Edge TPU on to 2 separate PCIe x1 Gen2 buses.

```plaintext
01:00.0 PCI bridge [0604]: ASMedia Technology Inc. ASM1182e 2-Port PCIe x1 Gen2 Packet Switch [1b21:1182]
        Kernel driver in use: pcieport
02:03.0 PCI bridge [0604]: ASMedia Technology Inc. ASM1182e 2-Port PCIe x1 Gen2 Packet Switch [1b21:1182]
        Kernel driver in use: pcieport
02:07.0 PCI bridge [0604]: ASMedia Technology Inc. ASM1182e 2-Port PCIe x1 Gen2 Packet Switch [1b21:1182]
        Kernel driver in use: pcieport
03:00.0 System peripheral [0880]: Global Unichip Corp. Coral Edge TPU [1ac1:089a]
        Subsystem: Global Unichip Corp. Coral Edge TPU [1ac1:089a]
04:00.0 System peripheral [0880]: Global Unichip Corp. Coral Edge TPU [1ac1:089a]
        Subsystem: Global Unichip Corp. Coral Edge TPU [1ac1:089a]

```

Although both TPUs on the device can be used by a single AI application at the same time, normally one TPU is fast enough for most applications, so the second TPU can be used by a different AI application.

## Driver

For newer releases of Linux the following driver might be better:

- [GitHub - google/gasket-driver](https://github.com/google/gasket-driver/)

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_[View the full topic](https://discuss.88.io/t/community-ai-hardware/1292)._