Author's Latest Posts


Do Single-Vendor Flows Make Sense Yet?


For many years in the EDA industry, there has been talk of a complete design tool flow from a single vendor, and each of the main EDA players is capable of offering one. But whether they actually do — or should — is an interesting discussion. There are obvious pros and cons on the technical side. But it is the business and marketing issues that are really at the crux of the debate today.... » read more

System Bits: May 24


Controlling autonomous vehicles in extreme conditions In an approach that could help make self-driving cars of the future safer under hazardous road conditions, a Georgia Institute of Technology research team devised a way to help keep a driverless vehicle under control as it maneuvers at the edge of its handling limits. According to the team comprised of researchers from Georgia Tech’s D... » read more

System Bits: May 17


AI drives Toyota websites An innovation in artificial intelligence described in a 2001 paper by UCLA computer science professor Adnan Darwiche has found a somewhat unexpected application: helping car buyers of Toyota and Lexus customize their vehicles online. The websites let shoppers tailor their vehicle from among a range of models, colors and accessories. The software that powers the sit... » read more

The Evolving Thermal Landscape


Managing heat in chips is becoming a precision balancing act at advanced nodes and with advanced packaging. While it's important to ensure that temperatures don't rise high enough to cause reliability problems, adding too much circuitry to control heat can reduce performance and lower energy efficiency. The most common approach to dealing with these issues is thermal simulation, which requir... » read more

It’s All About The Data


Ah, the wonders of math and physics — they do make the world go ‘round, do they not? And even in the world of chip design, of course, it is the fundamental understanding of the physics of electricity, materials, metals, etc., that it is all possible. I just wanted to stop for a moment to marvel at how those fundamental understandings of the math and physics of things have been abstracted... » read more

IP Business Models In Flux


EDA and IP suppliers are engaging with foundries earlier with each manufacturing process node, while those foundries are providing ever more optimized and tuned processes to their customers. As part of this, IP providers must port their IP offerings to the various foundries and processes, putting a squeeze on resources. That raises some difficult questions, such as how to prioritize their li... » read more

System Bits: May 10


Topological insulators In a finding that could open up a new pathway to advanced electronic devices and even robust quantum computer architecture, researchers from MIT; Oak Ridge, and Argonne National Laboratories; the Institute for Theoretical Physics in Bochum, Germany; the Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics in Dresden; the Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris; and the Institute of N... » read more

Autonomous Vehicle Disruptions Ahead


The promise of autonomous driving is a significant one, with far fewer fatalities from vehicle crashes — down from 30,000 annually — topping the list of benefits. Beyond that, autonomous driving also promises increased convenience and productivity and less troublesome commutes. But autonomous driving also pushes automotive technology into uncharted areas. There is little to fall back on ... » read more

IoT Security Reality Check


Lorie Wigle, Intel Security’s VP and GM of IoT Security Solutions made a good point at SAE World Congress last month when she said, "The news feed is full of articles of hand wringing about how it's the Internet of Threats not the Internet of Things and the reality is we have technologies we've developed over the last 30 years in security and IT systems many of which are perfectly applicable ... » read more

System Bits: May 3


Neural network synapses In a development that could potentially be used as a basis for the hardware implementation of artificial neural networks, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) researchers have created prototypes of electronic synapses based on ultra-thin films of hafnium oxide (HfO2). The team made the HfO2-based memristors measuring just 40x40 nm2, which exhibit propert... » read more

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