Simulating Multiple DSPs As Multiple x86 Processes


An increasing number of embedded designs are multi-core systems. At the pre-silicon stage, customers use a simulation platform for architectural exploration and software development. Architects want to quantify the impact of the number of cores, local memory size, system memory latency, and interconnect bandwidth. Software teams wish to have a practical development platform that is not excrucia... » read more

Redefining Hearing Aids With DSPs


Hearing is one of the most essential senses for engaging with the world. It enables us to converse, appreciate music, and remain alert to our surroundings. Hearing loss is a prevalent issue affecting millions of individuals globally and disconnecting them from a world where sound is vital to others and the environment. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that over 5% of the global popul... » read more

Automated HW/SW Co-Design Of DSP Systems Composed Of Processors And Hardware Accelerators


Seemingly overnight, data acquisition and digital signal processing have gone from a hidden background function in special purpose-built subsystems, such as PC graphics cards and airborne missile guidance systems, to the foreground in the form of in-ear IoT devices, smartphones, and autonomous vehicles. As the number of smart data-acquisition devices grows, so does the amount of data requiring ... » read more

A DSP For Implementing High-Performance Sensor Fusion On An Embedded Budget


By Markus Willems and Pieter van der Wolf Sensor fusion refers to the combining of data from multiple sensors to obtain more complete and accurate results. By using the information provided by multiple sensing devices, it is possible to achieve better context awareness. Smart mobile devices, autonomous driving, smart home appliances, industrial control, and robotics are just a few of the app... » read more

Week In Review: Auto, Security, Pervasive Computing


AI, machine learning Cadence says it has optimized its Tensilica HiFi digital signal processor IP to efficiently execute TensorFlow Lite for Microcontrollers, which are used in Google’s machine learning platform for edge. This means developers of AI/ML on the edge systems can now put better audio processing on edge devices with ML applications like keyword detection, audio scene detection, n... » read more

Week In Review: IoT, Security, Autos


Internet of Things Sensors that see in the dark, look deep into our faces and hear the impossible, were all part of ams’ CES lineup this week. ams announced that it has designed an advanced spectral ambient light sensor (ALS) for high-end mobile phone cameras. The ALS, called the AS7350, identifies the light source and makes an accurate white balance under low-light and other non-ideal condi... » read more

Fixed and Floating FMCW Radar Signal Processing with Tensilica DSPs


Automotive advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) applications increasingly demand radar modules with better capability and performance. These applications require sophisticated radar processing algorithms and powerful digital signal processors (DSPs) to run them. Because these embedded systems have limited power and cost budgets, the DSP’s instruction set architecture (ISA) needs to be eff... » read more

Reducing Latency, Power, and Gate Count with Floating-Point FMA


Today’s digital signal processing applications such as radar, echo cancellation, and image processing are demanding more dynamic range and computation accuracy. Floating-point arithmetic units offer better precision, higher dynamic range, and shorter development cycles when compared with fixed-point arithmetic units. Minimizing the design’s time to market is more important than ever. Algori... » read more

Leveraging The Past


By Ann Steffora Mutschler It’s easy to forget that not every design today is targeted at 20nm, given the amount of focus put on the bleeding edge of technology. But in fact a large number of designs utilize the stability and reliability of older manufacturing nodes, as well as lower mask costs, by incorporating new design and verification techniques, with 2.5D designs being a prime example. ... » read more