A Sharper Front-End to Intelligent Vision

A Sharper Front-End to Intelligent Vision
by Bernard Murphy on 01-16-2019 at 7:00 am

In all the enthusiasm around machine learning (ML) and intelligent vision, we tend to forget the front-end of this process. The image captured on a CCD camera goes through some very sophisticated image processing before ML even gets to work on it. The devices/IPs that do this are called image signal processors (ISPs). You might … Read More


WhisPro: A Speech Recognition Option from CEVA

WhisPro: A Speech Recognition Option from CEVA
by Bernard Murphy on 01-10-2019 at 7:00 am

In the superheated world of AI and Neural Nets (NN), many of us are familiar with object recognition in images: cars, pedestrians, cats and dogs and thousands of other applications. But there’s another class of applications, also growing rapidly, around audio AI. Early generations for command recognition in infotainment systems… Read More


CEVA-BX: A Hybrid DSP and Controller

CEVA-BX: A Hybrid DSP and Controller
by Bernard Murphy on 01-08-2019 at 7:00 am

I’ve noticed hybrid solutions popping up recently (I’m reminded of NXP’s crossover MCU released in 2017). These are generally a fairly clear indicator that market needs are shifting; what once could be solved with an application processor or controller or DSP or whatever, now needs two (or more) of these. In performance/power/price-sensitive… Read More


Disturbances in the AI Force

Disturbances in the AI Force
by Bernard Murphy on 01-03-2019 at 7:00 am

In the normal evolution of specialized hardware IP functions, initial implementations start in academic research or R&D in big semiconductor companies, motivating new ventures specializing in functions of that type, who then either build critical mass to make it as a chip or IP supplier (such as Mobileye – intially)… Read More


Ampere: More on Arm-Based Servers

Ampere: More on Arm-Based Servers
by Bernard Murphy on 12-19-2018 at 7:00 am

Since I talked recently about AWS adding access to Arm-based server instances in their cloud offering, I thought it would be interesting to look further into other Arm-based server solutions. I had a meeting with Ampere Computing at Arm TechCon. They offer server devices and are worth closer examination as a player in this game.… Read More


Big Data Analytics in Early Power Planning

Big Data Analytics in Early Power Planning
by Bernard Murphy on 12-13-2018 at 7:00 am

ANSYS recently hosted a webinar talking about how they used the big-data analytics available in RedHawk-SC to do early power grid planning with static analytics, providing better coverage than would have been possible through pure simulation-based approaches. The paradox here is that late-stage analysis of voltage drops … Read More


ARM Answers Server Doubts

ARM Answers Server Doubts
by Bernard Murphy on 12-07-2018 at 7:00 am

At ARM TechCon this year, the company announced the Neoverse brand targeted to infrastructure, contrasting with the Cortex brand we are familiar with for edge devices such as smartphones and IoT devices. Cortex was already used in infrastructure, in networking, base stations and the like but Neoverse splits the infrastructure… Read More


Imperas and RISC-V

Imperas and RISC-V
by Bernard Murphy on 12-06-2018 at 7:00 am

I met Imperas at TechCon this year because I wanted to become a bit more knowledgeable about virtual modeling. That led me to become more interested in RISC-V and a talk given by Krste Asanovic of UCB and SiFive. My takeaway surprised me. I had thought this was an open-source David versus proprietary Goliaths (Intel and ARM) battle… Read More


Webinar: Turnkey Bluetooth True Wireless Stereo Earbuds and Speakers

Webinar: Turnkey Bluetooth True Wireless Stereo Earbuds and Speakers
by Bernard Murphy on 12-01-2018 at 7:00 am

When we were first introduced to earbuds, in-ear speakers connected through thin wires to your phone (and earlier portable music devices), they seemed pretty convenient for private entertainment at work, while walking, exercising, doing almost anything. Until we started to realize those long dangly wires weren’t ideal. They’d… Read More


Security and RISC-V

Security and RISC-V
by Bernard Murphy on 11-30-2018 at 7:00 am

One of the challenges in the RISC-V bid for world domination may be security. That may seem like a silly statement, given that security weaknesses are invariably a function of implementation and RISC-V doesn’t define implementation, only the instruction-set architecture (ISA). But bear with me. RISC-V success depends heavily… Read More