Vision processing unit
A Vision Processing Unit is a processor designed to accelerate machine vision tasks. It is distinct from a video processing unit (which is specialised for video encoding and decoding) in it's suitability for running algorithms such as convolutional neural networks, SIFT feature detection etc. It may include interfaces to cameras, and have a greater emphasis on on-chip dataflow (more like a DSP). It is distinct from a GPU which contains specialised features for rasterization and texture mapping for 3D graphics, and is specialised toward manipulating bitmap images in memory. Target markets are robotics, new classes of cameras for virtual reality, and integrating machine vision acceleration into smartphones.
Examples are the Movidius Myriad 2, and Eyeriss