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The Rise and Fall of ARM Holdings

The Rise and Fall of ARM Holdings
by Daniel Nenni on 05-16-2018 at 7:00 am

Publishing a book on the history of ARM was an incredible experience. In business it is always important to remember how you got to where you are today to better prepare for where you are going tomorrow. The book “Mobile Unleashed” started at the beginning of ARM (Acorn Computer) where a company went from a crazy idea a couple of engineers… Read More


TSMC Technologies for IoT and Automotive

TSMC Technologies for IoT and Automotive
by Alex Tan on 05-15-2018 at 12:00 pm

At TSMC 2018 Silcon Valley Technology Symposium, Dr Kevin Zhang, TSMC VP of Business Development covered technology updates for IoT platform. The three growth drivers in this segment namely TSMC low power, RF enhancement and embedded memory technology (MRAM/RRAM) reinforced both progress and growth in global semiconductorRead More


Webinar: Thermal and Reliability for ADAS and Autonomy

Webinar: Thermal and Reliability for ADAS and Autonomy
by Bernard Murphy on 05-15-2018 at 7:00 am

OK, so maybe the picture here is a little over the top, but thermal and reliability considerations in automotive in general and in ADAS and autonomy in particular, are no joke. Overheating, thermal-induced EM and warping at the board-level, in the package or interposers, are concerns in any environment but especially when you’re… Read More


Machine Learning Drives Transformation of Semiconductor Design

Machine Learning Drives Transformation of Semiconductor Design
by Tom Simon on 05-14-2018 at 12:00 pm

Machine learning is transforming how information processing works and what it can accomplish. The push to design hardware and networks to support machine learning applications is affecting every aspect of the semiconductor industry. In a video recently published by Synopsys, Navraj Nandra, Sr. Director of Marketing, takes… Read More


Is there anything in VLSI layout other than “pushing polygons”? (9)

Is there anything in VLSI layout other than “pushing polygons”? (9)
by Dan Clein on 05-14-2018 at 7:00 am

I moved from real layout work to management so I had little or no “hands-on” layout in my responsibility but I was very close to my team challenges in all 5 locations. During my 13 years in PMC Sierra I was involved in many initiatives some technical and some in developing relations with vendors. The biggest difference was that MOSAID… Read More


Don’t Balkanize Automotive Safety

Don’t Balkanize Automotive Safety
by Roger C. Lanctot on 05-13-2018 at 7:00 am

The Wall Street Journal reported, last week, that auto makers are lining up on opposite sides of the talking cars debate. Some car makers – General Motors, Toyota and Volkswagen – are pushing Wi-Fi-based dedicated short range communication technology (DSRC) while others – Ford, Audi and BMW – are emphasizing 5G for the same application.… Read More


Worldwide Design IP Revenue Grew 12.4% in 2017

Worldwide Design IP Revenue Grew 12.4% in 2017
by Daniel Nenni on 05-11-2018 at 7:00 am

When starting SemiWiki we focused on three market segments: EDA, IP, and the Foundries. Founding SemiWiki bloggers Daniel Payne and Paul McLellan were popular EDA bloggers with their own sites and I blogged about the foundries so we were able to combine our blogs and hit the ground running. For IP I recruited Dr. Eric Esteve who had… Read More


TSMC Technologies for Mobile and HPC

TSMC Technologies for Mobile and HPC
by Alex Tan on 05-10-2018 at 12:00 pm

During TSMC 2018 Technology Symposium, Dr. B.J. Woo, TSMC VP of Business Development presented market trends in the area of mobile applications and HPC computing as well as shared TSMC progress in making breakthrough efforts in the technology offerings to serve these two market segments.

Both 5G and AI are taking the center stage… Read More


Converter Circuit Optimization Gets Powerful New Tool

Converter Circuit Optimization Gets Powerful New Tool
by Tom Simon on 05-09-2018 at 12:00 pm

DC converter circuit efficiency can have a big effect on the battery life of mobile devices. It also can affect power efficiency for wall-power operated circuits. Even before parasitics are factored in, converter circuit designers have a lot of issues to contend with. Optimizing circuit operation is essential for giving consumers… Read More


Semiconductor Specialization Drives New Industry Structure

Semiconductor Specialization Drives New Industry Structure
by Daniel Nenni on 05-09-2018 at 7:00 am

When traveling the world there are the things that you see and the people that you meet. I have been very fortunate to meet some of the most amazing people and one of those people is Dr. Walden Rhines. Wally spent the first half of his career in semiconductors at TI and the second half in EDA with Mentor Graphics which gives him a cyborg … Read More