The Case For Embedded FPGAs Strengthens And Widens

By Brian Bailey - 25 Apr, 2019 - Comments: 2

The embedded FPGA, an IP core integrated into an ASIC or SoC, is winning converts. System architects are starting to see the benefits of eFPGAs, which offer the flexibility of programmable logic without the cost of FPGAs. Programmable logic is especially appealing for accelerating machine learning applications that need frequent updates. An eFPGA can provide some architects the cover they ne... » read more

Week In Review: Design, Low Power

By Jesse Allen - 14 Dec, 2018 - Comments: 0

The MIPI Alliance released MIPI I3C Basic v1.0, a subset of the MIPI I3C sensor interface specification that bundles 20 of the most commonly needed I3C features for developers and other standards organizations. The royalty-free specification includes backward compatibility with I2C, 12.5 MHz multi-drop bus that is over 12 times faster than I2C supports, in-band interrupts to allow slaves to not... » read more

Looking Beyond The CPU

By Brian Bailey - 29 Nov, 2018 - Comments: 0

CPUs no longer deliver the same kind of of performance improvements as in the past, raising questions across the industry about what comes next. The growth in processing power delivered by a single CPU core began stalling out at the beginning of the decade, when power-related issues such as heat and noise forced processor companies to add more cores rather than pushing up the clock frequency... » read more

Machine Learning Shifts More Work to FPGAs, SoCs

By Kevin Fogarty - 24 Sep, 2018 - Comments: 0

A wave of machine-learning-optimized chips is expected to begin shipping in the next few months, but it will take time before data centers decide whether these new accelerators are worth adopting and whether they actually live up to claims of big gains in performance. There are numerous reports that silicon custom-designed for machine learning will deliver 100X the performance of current opt... » read more

Is Software Necessary?

By Brian Bailey - 27 Aug, 2018 - Comments: 0

Hardware must be capable of running any software. While that might have been a good mantra when chips were relatively simple, it becomes an impossible verification task when dealing with SoCs that contain dozens of deeply embedded processors. When does it become necessary to use production software and what problems can that get you into? When verification targets such as power are added, it... » read more

New Deep Learning Processors, Embedded FPGA Technologies, SoC Design Solutions

By Ty Garibay - 14 May, 2018 - Comments: 0

Some of the most valuable events at DAC are the IP Track sessions, which give small and midsize companies a chance to share innovations that might not get much attention elsewhere. The use of IP in SoCs has exploded in recent years. In a panel at DAC 2017, an industry expert noted that the IP market clearly was growing even faster than EDA itself, due to the fact that more and more chip mak... » read more

The Week In Review: Design

By Jesse Allen - 08 Sep, 2017 - Comments: 0

Tools Cadence unveiled an integrated memory design and verification tool, with environments for bitcell design, array and complier verification, and memory characterization. It utilizes existing simulation databases for multi-corner and Monte Carlo analysis, which the company says can lead to a 2X runtime improvement. Solido Design Automation uncorked PVTMC Verifier, which uses machine lear... » read more

A Chip For All Seasons

By Jeff Dorsch - 07 Sep, 2017 - Comments: 0

FPGAs are showing up in more designs and in more markets, and as they get included in more systems they are becoming much more complex. A decade ago, the key markets for [gettech id="31071" t_name="FPGAs"] were industrial, medical, automotive and aerospace. Those markets remain strong, but FPGAs also are playing a role in artificial intelligence, data centers, the [getkc id="76" kc_name="... » read more

The Week In Review: Design

By Jesse Allen - 23 Jun, 2017 - Comments: 0

M&A Silvaco will acquire SoC Solutions, adding more IP experience to the company's portfolio. SoC Solutions, based in Atlanta, GA, focuses on pre-configured IP subsystems and IP targeting low power IoT and machine-to-machine communication. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the acquisition is expected to close soon. Imagination is putting the rest of the company up for sale after... » read more

Embedded FPGAs Going Mainstream?

By Brian Bailey - 27 Oct, 2016 - Comments: 0

Systems on chip have been made with many processing variants ranging from general-purpose CPUs to DSPs, GPUs, and custom processors that are highly optimized for certain tasks. When none of these options provide the necessary performance or consumes too much power, custom hardware takes over. But there is one type of processing element that has rarely been used in a major SoC— the [gettech id... » read more

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Knowledge Centers
Entities, people and technologies explored

Shift Left Is The Tip Of The Iceberg

A transformative change is underway for semiconductor design and EDA. New languages, models, and abstractions will need to be created.

by Brian Bailey

Partitioning In The Chiplet Era

Understanding how chiplets interact under different workloads is critical to ensuring signal integrity and optimal performance in heterogeneous designs.

by Ann Mutschler

3.5D: The Great Compromise

Pros and cons of a middle-ground chiplet assembly that combines 2.5D and 3D-IC.

by Ed Sperling

AI’s Role In Chip Design Widens, Drawing In New Startups

Focus is on letting engineers do much more with the same or fewer resources — and less drudgery.

by Karen Heyman

Key Technologies To Extend EUV To 14 Angstroms

Alongside high-NA EUV will be better-performing photoresists, reduced roughness using passivation and etch, and lateral etching to reduce tip-to-tip dimensions.

by Laura Peters

Memory Fundamentals For Engineers

eBook: Nearly everything you need to know about memory, including detailed explanations of the different types of memory; how and where these are used today; what's changing, which memories are successful and which ones might be in the future; and the limitations of each memory type.

by The SE Staff

What Comes After HBM For Chiplets

The standard for high-bandwidth memory limits design freedom at many levels, but that is required for interoperability. What freedoms can be taken from other functions to make chiplets possible?

by Brian Bailey

Why Small Fab And Assembly Houses Are Thriving

Megafabs churning out the most advanced processors are not the only game in town.

by Bryon Moyer

tag: Menta

The Case For Embedded FPGAs Strengthens And Widens

Week In Review: Design, Low Power

Looking Beyond The CPU

Machine Learning Shifts More Work to FPGAs, SoCs

Is Software Necessary?

New Deep Learning Processors, Embedded FPGA Technologies, SoC Design Solutions

The Week In Review: Design

A Chip For All Seasons

The Week In Review: Design

Embedded FPGAs Going Mainstream?