From sensor data to deployment: Building physical AI with Arm Keil MDK and Alif

Physical AI is moving intelligence from the cloud into embedded devices. Whether you are developing robotics, industrial automation, wearables, or smart sensing applications, success depends on more than better ML models. Developers need reliable ways to capture real-world sensor data, replay identical scenarios, reproduce field issues, and validate algorithm improvements using the same inputs.

The Arm Synchronous Data Stream (SDS) Framework addresses this challenge. It provides a standardized way to capture, synchronize, store, and replay sensor, audio, video, and other streaming data throughout the development lifecycle. SDS enables deterministic testing on both physical hardware and Fixed Virtual Platforms (FVPs). This simplifies algorithm validation, DSP development, regression testing, and the integration of embedded AI into CI/CD and MLOps workflows.

To help developers get started, we have published practical SDS examples for Arm Cortex®-M platforms from Alif Semiconductor and STMicroelectronics. We are also collaborating with ecosystem partners such as ModelNova, integrating Fusion Studio with SDS to enable model-based embedded development workflows. Together, these technologies streamline data capture, AI model development, and deployment on embedded devices.

You can explore the complete ModelNova example on GitHub:

ModelNova GitHub example

Arm Keil MDK for Alif Devices

To support these workflows, developers targeting Alif Semiconductor's Ensemble® and Balletto® families can now access a dedicated Alif edition of Arm Keil MDK at no cost.

Keil MDK provides a complete Arm-native development environment for building, debugging, and optimizing applications on Arm Cortex-M processors and Arm Ethos -U55 and Ethos-U85 NPUs. The Arm Keil ecosystem provides Device Family Packs, board support, Keil RTX5, middleware, and CMSIS software components. These components enable developers to quickly create production-ready applications for low-power edge AI and IoT devices.

Get Started

Request your free Arm Keil MDK license for Alif devices

Together, Alif's edge AI devices, Arm Keil MDK, the SDS Framework, and partners such as ModelNova enable developers to build reproducible, end-to-end workflows that take Physical AI applications from sensor data to deployment.