A Framework For Ultra Low-Power Hardware Accelerators Using NNs For Embedded Time Series Classification


In embedded applications that use neural networks (NNs) for classification tasks, it is important to not only minimize the power consumption of the NN calculation, but of the whole system. Optimization approaches for individual parts exist, such as quantization of the NN or analog calculation of arithmetic operations. However, there is no holistic approach for a complete embedded system design ... » read more

NeuroSim Simulator for Compute-in-Memory Hardware Accelerator: Validation and Benchmark


Abstract:   "Compute-in-memory (CIM) is an attractive solution to process the extensive workloads of multiply-and-accumulate (MAC) operations in deep neural network (DNN) hardware accelerators. A simulator with options of various mainstream and emerging memory technologies, architectures, and networks can be a great convenience for fast early-stage design space exploration of CIM hardw... » read more

Dynamically Reconfiguring Logic


Dynamic reconfiguration of semiconductor logic has been possible for years, but it never caught on commercially. Cheng Wang, co-founder and senior vice president of software and engineering at Flex Logix, explains why this capability has been so difficult to utilize, what’s changed, how a soft logic layer can be used to control when to read, compute, steer, and write data back to memory, and ... » read more

The Next Phase Of Computing


Apple's new M1 chip offers a glimpse of what's ahead, and not just from Apple. Being able to get 18 to 20 hours of battery life from a laptop computer moves the ball much farther down the field in semiconductor design. All of this is entirely dependent on the applications, of course. But what's important here is how much battery life and performance can be gained by designing hardware specif... » read more

Maximizing Value Post-Moore’s Law


When Moore's Law was in full swing, almost every market segment considered moving to the next available node as a primary way to maximize value. But today, each major market segment is looking at different strategies that are more closely aligned with its individual needs. This diversity will end up causing both pain and opportunities in the supply chain. Chip developers must do more with a ... » read more

Plasticine: A Reconfigurable Architecture For Parallel Patterns (Stanford)


Source: Stanford University Stanford University has been developing Plasticine, which allows parallel patterns to be reconfigured. "ABSTRACT Reconfigurable architectures have gained popularity in recent years as they allow the design of energy-efficient accelerators. Fine-grain fabrics (e.g. FPGAs) have traditionally suffered from performance and power inefficiencies due to bit-level ... » read more

Accelerating Financial Applications With SLX FPGA


This white paper demonstrates how engineers creating FPGA-based hardware accelerators for financial market models can take advantage of SLX FPGA. SLX FPGA can be used to accelerate optimization efforts for financial market models targeting option pricing. In this paper, two implementations of computation intensive models for pricing options are discussed, namely the Black-Scholes and Heston pri... » read more

How To Choose A Processor


Choosing a processor might seem straightforward at first glance, but like many engineering challenges it's harder than it looks. When is a CPU better than a GPU, MCU, DSP or other type of processor? And for what design—or part of a design? For decades, the CPU has been the default choice. “It is deliberately designed to be pretty efficient at all tasks, is straightforward to program, ... » read more

Security And Convergence


I’ve had a lot on my mind the past few weeks while reporting on seemingly disparate topics like the Internet of Things, embedded software and hardware accelerators, but in the world today, these things are really tightly connected, actually. They all boil down to convergence and security in my mind. Looking at the Internet of Things (IoT), which promises to connect all of us and all of our... » read more

Hardware Accelerators Earn Their Keep


By Ann Steffora Mutschler Hardware accelerators have been used for years, but with the proliferation of multicore chips and SoCs their use is evolving. Multicore processors have reduced the reliance on hardware accelerators, but that doesn’t mean the number of hardware accelerators is shrinking. The insatiable demand for performance while also reducing power consumption means that acceler... » read more

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