Introduction
This user manual provides the guidelines to build step-by-step a complete Artificial Intelligence (AI) IDE-based project for
STM32 microcontrollers with automatic conversion of pre-trained Neural Networks (NN) and integration of the generated
optimized library. It describes the X-CUBE-AI Expansion Package that is fully integrated with the STM32CubeMX tool. This user
manual also describes optional add-on AI test applications or utilities for AI system performance and validation.
The main part of the document is a hands-on learning to generate quickly an STM32 AI-based project. A NUCLEO-F746ZG
development kit and several models for Deep Learning (DL) from the public domain are used as practical examples. Any STM32
development kits or customer boards based on a microcontroller in the STM32F3, STM32F4, STM32G4, STM32L4, STM32L4+,
STM32L5, STM32F7, STM32H7, STM32WB or STM32WL Series can also be used with minor adaptations.
The next part of the document details and describes the use of the X-CUBE-AI for AI performance and validation add-on
applications. It covers also internal aspects such as the generated NN library. Additionally, more information (command-line
support, supported toolboxes and layers, reported metrics) are available from the Documentation folder in the installed
package.
Getting started with X-CUBE-AI Expansion Package for Artificial Intelligence (AI)
UM2526
User manual
UM2526 - Rev 7 - March 2021
For further information contact your local STMicroelectronics sales office.
www.st.com
1 General information
The X-CUBE-AI Expansion Package is dedicated to AI projects running on STM32 Arm
®
Cortex
®
-M-based
MCUs.
The descriptions in the current revision of the user manual are based on:
• X-CUBE-AI 6.0.0
• Embedded inference client API 1.1.0
• Command-line interface 1.4.1
The pre-trained Keras DL model used for the example in this document is:
• https://github.com/Shahnawax/HAR-CNN-Keras: Human Activity Recognition using CNN in Keras
Note: Arm is a registered trademark of Arm Limited (or its subsidiaries) in the US and/or elsewhere.
1.1 What is STM32Cube?
STM32Cube is an STMicroelectronics original initiative to significantly improve designer's productivity by reducing
development effort, time, and cost. STM32Cube covers the whole STM32 portfolio.
STM32Cube includes:
• A set of user-friendly software development tools to cover project development from conception to
realization, among which are:
– STM32CubeMX, a graphical software configuration tool that allows the automatic generation of C
initialization code using graphical wizards
– STM32CubeIDE, an all-in-one development tool with peripheral configuration, code generation, code
compilation, and debug features
– STM32CubeProgrammer (STM32CubeProg), a programming tool available in graphical and command-
line versions
– STM32CubeMonitor (STM32CubeMonitor, STM32CubeMonPwr, STM32CubeMonRF,
STM32CubeMonUCPD) powerful monitoring tools to fine-tune the behavior and performance of STM32
applications in real-time
• STM32Cube MCU and MPU Packages, comprehensive embedded-software platforms specific to each
microcontroller and microprocessor series (such as STM32CubeF7 for the STM32F7 Series), which include:
– STM32Cube hardware abstraction layer (HAL), ensuring maximized portability across the STM32
portfolio
– STM32Cube low-layer APIs, ensuring the best performance and footprints with a high degree of user
control over hardware
– A consistent set of middleware components such as RTOS, USB, FAT file system, graphics and
TCP/IP
– All embedded software utilities with full sets of peripheral and applicative examples
• STM32Cube Expansion Packages, which contain embedded software components that complement the
functionalities of the STM32Cube MCU and MPU Packages with:
– Middleware extensions and applicative layers
– Examples running on some specific STMicroelectronics development boards
1.2
How does X-CUBE-AI complement STM32Cube?
X-CUBE-AI extends STM32CubeMX by providing an automatic NN library generator optimized in computation
and memory (RAM and Flash) that converts pre-trained Neural Networks from most used DL frameworks (such
as Keras, TensorFlow
™
Lite and ONNX) into a library that is automatically integrated in the final user project. The
project is automatically setup, ready for compilation and execution on the STM32 microcontroller.
X-CUBE-AI also extends STM32CubeMX by adding, for the project creation, specific MCU filtering to select the
right devices that fit specific criteria requirements (such as RAM or Flash memory size) for a user's NN.
UM2526
General information
UM2526 - Rev 7
page 2/67
