Integration Challenges For RISC-V Designs


One of the big draws of RISC-V is that it allows design teams to create unique chips or chiplets and to make modifications to the instruction-set architecture. That extra degree of freedom also creates some issues when it comes to integrating those designs into packages or systems because they may require non-standard connectivity approaches. Frank Schirrmeister, vice president of marketing at ... » read more

Behold The Dawning Of The Era Of Bespoke Silicon


The great chip shortage of 2021, which accounted for billions of dollars in revenue loss, hit the auto industry especially hard. What caused the shortage is clear: auto companies miscalculated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. While automakers were canceling their chip orders, strong electronics sales continued, leaving automakers at the back of the line for chips when demand for cars reboun... » read more

SiFive: Low-Cost Custom Silicon


One of the lessons learned years ago in the open-source Linux world is that free software isn't always good enough. Consequently, being able to add commercial value around freeware can turn into a lucrative business. Red Hat Software, for example, has turned this approach into a thriving multi-billion-dollar business. But nothing comparable has ever succeeded in the SoC world. Enter SiFi... » read more