This article is describing how to easily modify the system performance application generated thanks to STM32Cube.AI to run power and energy measurements in optimal configuration.
The system performance application allows to run automatically inferences of a machine learning processing generated thanks to STM32Cube.AI (neural network or traditional machine learning models). It allows to measure directly on the target the inference time. It can also be used to measure power consumption. However, the default settings are not fully optimal to ensure accurate measures of only the processing excluding peripherals and power leakages on unused GPIO. As an example, we will take the NUCLEO-L4R5ZI, but the process can be adapted to any board supported by STM32Cube.AI.
1. Prerequisites
1.1. Hardware
- [NUCLEO-L4R5ZI https://www.st.com/en/evaluation-tools/nucleo-l4r5zi.html]
- [X-NUCLEO-LPM01A https://www.st.com/en/evaluation-tools/x-nucleo-lpm01a.html STM32 Power shield, Nucleo expansion board for power consumption measurement]
- 2 Micro-USB to USB cables
1.2. Software
- STM32Cube IDE
- X-Cube-AI version 7.0.0
2. Project generation
2.1. Loading a pre-defined ioc
The next section describes how to start from STM32CubeMX to generate the project. We will provide soon pre-defined STM32CUbeMX project Files ioc for some boards on our GitHub. You can load them directly to the Import your model section and then go directly to the import model section. To load an ioc, select Files / Load Project:
2.2. Create a new project
Open STM32CubeMX and start project using the board selector:
Select the board to use, in our case the NUCLEO-L4R5ZI and create a project without initializing all peripherals with their default Mode:
2.3. Add X-CUBE-AI software pack
Select X-CUBE-AI software pack Core and System Performance application:
Click on X-CUBE-AI software pack:
If by default the peripherals parameters are not set to the best performance, the system will warn you. Select yes to make sure to use the maximal frequency.
X-CUBE-AI will configure default parameters to set the best performance as well as configuring the UART used to report performances.
You can check which UART will be used by X-CUBE-AI to communicate with the board.it is the UART connected to the STLink embedded device which is seen from the PC as a Virtual Com Port once connected by USB. To do so open the Platform Settings panel:
For the NUCLEO-L4R5ZI it is the LPUART1. You can also check the settings used by X-CUBE-AI for the specified UART in the Connectivity panel / Parameter Settings:
