Accelerating compute-intensive software functions by moving them into hardware has a long history, stretching back (as far as I remember) to floating-point co-processors. Modern SoCs are stuffed with these applications, from signal processors, to graphics processors, codecs and many more functions. All of these accelerators… Read More





Rethinking IP Lifecycle Management
We recently saw both Apple and Samsung introduce new smart phones, and realize that the annual race to introduce sophisticated devices that are attractive and differentiated is highly competitive. If either of these companies misses a market window then fortunes can quickly change. SoCs with billions of transistors like smart… Read More
ARM TechCon 2017 Preview with Mentor!
Next week is ARM TechCon which is one of my favorite conferences (SemiWiki is an event partner). This year is lucky number thirteen for ARM TechCon and it includes more than sixty hours of sessions plus more than one hundred ARM partners in the exposition. I will be signing free copies of our new book “Custom SoCs for IoT: Simplified”… Read More
Getting A Handle On Your Automotive SoCs For ISO 26262
When it comes to safety and automotive systems, ISO 26262 is the standard by which system vendors are judged. As with all things the devil is in the details. To be compliant to the standard, design teams must have a well-defined and rigorous design and validation process in place that copiously documents all the requirements of their… Read More
Reliability Signoff for FinFET Designs
Ansys recently hosted a webinar on reliability signoff for FinFET-based designs, spanning thermal, EM, ESD, EMC and aging effects. I doubt you’re going to easily find a more comprehensive coverage of reliability impact and analysis solutions. If you care about reliability in FinFET designs, you might want to check out this webinar.… Read More
Implementing IEEE 1149.1-2013 to solve IC counterfeiting, security and quality issues
As chips for any design are fabricated, it turns out that no two are the exactly the same. This is both a blessing and a curse. Current silicon fabrication technology is amazingly good at controlling factors that affect chip to chip uniformity. Nevertheless, each chip has different characteristics. The most extreme case of happens… Read More
Free eBook: Custom SoCs for IoT: Simplified
Two important trends will be discussed in this book: The disruptive nature of the Internet of Things and the use of the ASIC business model by systems companies to get into the chip business.… Read More
This is How We Autonomous
Some days it seems like the world is obsessed with autonomous vehicles. No one really understands why. Surveys tell us that consumers are both interested in and repelled by self-driving cars. What’s missing is the business model – the commercial reason for the existence of self-driving cars.
Today’s announced acquisition of … Read More
Magillem User Group Meeting
Magillem is hosting a user group meeting on October 26th at The Pad in Sunnyvale. User Group meetings are always educational; this one should be especially so for a number of reasons, not least of which is the keynote topic: Expert Systems for Experts.
REGISTER HERE for the meeting in Sunnyvale on October 26[SUP]th[/SUP] from 10:00am… Read More
Why Cars aren’t as Safe as Planes
People are often confused and amazed that airline travel is so much safer than travel by bus, rail or car. The safety of air travel is truly miraculous, particularly in comparison to the disastrous history of terrestrial travel.
This reality was highlighted by the latest fatality data released by the U.S. Department of Transportation… Read More
Should the US Government Invest in Intel?