From DIY To Advanced NoC Solutions: The Future Of MCU Design


The evolution of microcontrollers (MCUs) has significantly transformed embedded systems, shifting from simple, standalone processors to complex, multifunctional units that rival traditional systems-on-chip (SoCs). These advancements are fueled by the demand for increased computational efficiency, cutting-edge features like AI and machine learning (ML) integration, and the need to address growin... » read more

Chip Architectures Becoming Much More Complex With Chiplets


The migration from monolithic SoCs to chiplet-based designs is creating a confusing array of options and tradeoffs for design teams working at the leading edge, and the number of choices is only going to increase as third-party chiplets begin pouring into the market. That hasn't dampened the appetite for chiplets, however, which are deemed essential for future generations of semiconductors f... » read more

Design Customization Puts Heavy Burden On Verification


Experts At The Table: The pressure on verification engineers to ensure a device will function correctly has increased exponentially as chips become more complex and heterogeneous. Semiconductor Engineering sat down with a panel of experts, including Josh Rensch, director of application engineering at Arteris; Matt Graham, senior group director for verification software product management at Cad... » read more

2025: So Many Possibilities


The stage is set for a year of innovation in the chip industry, unlike anything seen for decades, but what makes this period of advancement truly unique is the need to focus on physics and real design skills. Planar scaling of SoCs enabled design and verification tools and methodologies to mature on a relatively linear path, but the last few years have created an environment for more radical... » read more

2024 Set The Stage For NoC Interconnect Innovations In SoC Design


What a year it’s been for Arteris! Reflecting on 2024, the company achieved exciting milestones and breakthroughs that pushed the boundaries of system-on-chip (SoC) design. A game-changing new technology was unveiled, a major product was launched, and existing solutions were tailored for AI, automotive, high-performance computing (HPC) and more. Along the way, we welcomed new partners and ... » read more

RISC-V Profiles Help Conformance


Experts At The Table: What's needed to be able to trust that a RISC-V implementation will work as expected across multiple designs using standard OSes. Semiconductor Engineering discussed the issue with John Min, vice president of customer service at Arteris; Zdeněk Přikryl, CTO of Codasip; Neil Hand, director of marketing at Siemens EDA (at the time of this discussion); Frank Schirrmeist... » read more

Where Is The Software For Shift Left?


Co-development of hardware and software has been a dream for a long time, but significant hurdles remain. Neither domain is ready with what the other requires at the appropriate time. The earlier something can be done in a development flow, the less likely problems will be found when they are more difficult or expensive to fix. It may require both tool and methodology changes, so that a proc... » read more

Chip Industry Week In Review


Global chips sales hit a record $56.9 billion in October, a 22% increase versus October 2023, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association. Also, global semiconductor equipment billings reached $30.38 billion in Q3 2024, a 19% YoY increase and 13% growth QoQ, SEMI reported. TSMC commenced equipment installation for its 2nm fab in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, six months ahead of schedule. The 2n... » read more

Scaling AI Chip Design With NoC Soft Tiling


Tiling is about repeating modular units within the same chip to enhance scalability and efficiency; chiplets involve combining different silicon pieces to achieve a more diverse and powerful system within a single package. Network-on-chip (NoC) soft tiling is complimentary but distinct from chiplets described above as it repeats modular units inside a NoC design. Soft tiling within a NoC off... » read more

Top-Down Vs. Bottom-Up Chiplet Design


Chiplets are gaining widespread attention across the semiconductor industry, but for this approach to really take off commercially it will require more standards, better modeling technologies and methodologies, and a hefty amount of investment and experimentation. The case for chiplets is well understood. They can speed up time to market with consistent results, at whatever process node work... » read more

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