When a robot is running, it typically has to handle two types of work at the same time:

One is “thinking”: understanding what it sees, planning paths, and making decisions and schedules;

The other is “doing”: driving motors, reading sensors, and executing commands.

The “thinking” work is handled by the upper computer, while the “doing” work is handled by the lower computer.

The upper computer (Upper Computer) is the computer in a robot system responsible for high-level computing and control, typically running a Linux operating system with the ROS/ROS2 robot development framework. The upper computer handles perception, thinking, planning, and coordination. Without an upper computer, a robot cannot run complex algorithms and can only perform fixed actions. The lower computer, in turn, controls motion execution and real-time feedback. Without a lower computer, the robot's control precision and real-time performance cannot be guaranteed.

Upper computer and lower computer architecture of a robot

In an intelligent robot, the upper computer needs to take on at least the following four tasks:

l Perception and data processing: receiving data from cameras, LiDAR, IMU and other sensors, and running algorithms such as object detection, SLAM positioning and mapping, and point cloud processing.

l Decision-making and planning: making decisions based on perception results — which target point the robot should go to, which route it should take, how to avoid obstacles, and how to schedule multiple tasks.

l Human-robot interaction: the upper computer usually provides a graphical interface, voice, and other means to interact with users.

l Communication and coordination: the upper computer communicates with the lower computer downstream, sending commands and receiving execution feedback; and communicates with the cloud, mobile phones and other devices upstream, handling protocol conversion and data aggregation.

So why are more and more robots now choosing Rockchip's RK3588 as their upper computer? To answer this question, we need to compare the RK3588's features with the tasks an upper computer needs to perform.

Key Features of the RK3588

(1) CPU

The RK3588 uses an octa-core combination of 4 Cortex-A76 performance cores plus 4 Cortex-A55 efficiency cores, well suited to robots — mobile scenarios that need to run multi-threaded tasks simultaneously while being sensitive to power consumption and heat. The big cores handle heavy computing loads, while the little cores take care of everyday tasks, balancing performance and battery life.

(2) GPU

An upper computer usually comes with a display and needs to run visualization interfaces and interactions. The GPU handles graphics acceleration; together with a dedicated 2D acceleration module, it keeps the human-robot interface smooth and lag-free, and also leaves headroom for future 3D simulation and rendering.

(3) NPU

This is the core plus point of the RK3588 as an upper computer.

Its 6 TOPS of computing power is enough to run vision models such as object detection, human recognition, and pose estimation directly on the edge. Combined with perception algorithms, it enables localized AI inference and reduces dependence on the cloud. For robots that need real-time responses, on-device inference means low latency and offline capability.

(4) Rich I/O Interfaces

An upper computer has to connect peripherals such as the lower computer, LiDAR, cameras, storage, and wireless modules. The RK3588 provides rich high-speed interfaces including PCIe, Type-C, SATA, and Gigabit Ethernet, allowing flexible expansion of peripherals and AI accelerator cards. The richer the interfaces, the more flexible the robot's hardware architecture can be.

Meanwhile, the RK3588 also supports 8K video codec and multi-screen display with independent content, capable of processing multiple high-definition video streams simultaneously without consuming the CPU's main computing power — a single chip can drive multiple screens with different content and different resolutions.

The built-in 48MP ISP (image signal processor) can connect multiple cameras directly and perform image preprocessing at the same time, adapting to sensor solutions such as depth cameras and stereo cameras, which lowers the difficulty of building a vision system.

(5) Supports Android and Linux OS

The ecosystem is crucial for upper computer development. Linux is the main running platform for ROS/ROS2, and the RK3588's support for the Linux ecosystem is mature, so developers can directly follow the standard development workflow of the robotics field.

A mobile robot uses the RK3588 as its upper computer, running Ubuntu 22.04 with ROS2, responsible for multi-camera vision recognition, SLAM mapping and navigation planning, task scheduling, and human-robot interaction. The lower computer uses an STM32 or ESP32 for motor driving, encoder data acquisition, and real-time closed-loop control.

In this architecture, the RK3588's 6 TOPS NPU handles edge AI inference, the 48MP ISP connects multiple vision sensors directly, interfaces such as PCIe and Ethernet link the lower computer and peripherals, and the Linux ecosystem makes ROS2 development practical. Everything an upper computer needs — “perception, decision-making, interaction, communication, ecosystem” — the RK3588 can fully deliver. That is why more and more robots are choosing the RK3588 as their upper computer.

We have also launched products related to RK3588, RK3588 Industrial SOM, RK3588 Board Motherboard, RK3588 Motherboard Artificial Intelligence Linux Development Board,RK3588 Core Board SOM, and RK3588 Computing BOX Industrial AI Controller. You can visit the following link or contact us to obtain the relevant information.

http://www.think-core.com/product/detail/10/100

RK3588 Industrial SOM

http://www.think-core.com/product/detail/11/89

RK3588 Board Motherboard

http://www.think-core.com/product/detail/9/79

RK3588 Motherboard Artificial Intelligence Linux Development Board

http://www.think-core.com/product/detail/10/90

RK3588 Core Board SOM System On Module Free SDK

http://www.think-core.com/product/detail/21/98

RK3588 Computing BOX Industrial AI Controller

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Thinkcore Team is an embedded board solution provider, developer, and motherboard supplier, specializing in the design, manufacturing, sales, and technical sharing of embedded motherboards. Our chipset portfolio includes Rockchip, Allwinner, and others. We welcome inquiries and collaboration!

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