webinar banner2025 (1)

SiFive Unveils E2 Core IP Series for Smallest, Lowest Power RISC-V Designs

SiFive Unveils E2 Core IP Series for Smallest, Lowest Power RISC-V Designs
by Camille Kokozaki on 07-06-2018 at 12:00 pm

Fully configurable with advanced feature sets allows for broad applications, including microcontrollers, IoT, wearables, and smart cards

The E20 and E21 add to the growing list of SiFive RISC-V cores addressing the embedded controller, IoT, wearables, smart toys. On June 25, DAC opening day, SiFive announced the availability… Read More


TI: Semiconductor Industry History of Innovation

TI: Semiconductor Industry History of Innovation
by Daniel Nenni on 07-06-2018 at 7:00 am

This is the fifth in the series of “20 Questions with Wally Rhines”

Texas Instruments is a remarkable company founded by remarkable people. And Eric Jonsson was one of the most remarkable visionaries of the 20[SUP]th[/SUP] century. He was a renaissance man who created an industry and a fortune by following the needs… Read More


Liberate Trio Embraces ML and Cloud

Liberate Trio Embraces ML and Cloud
by Alex Tan on 07-05-2018 at 12:00 pm

A chain is as strong as its weakest link. This phrase resonates well in Static Timing Analysis (STA) domain, though it is about accuracy rather than durability. As timing signoff step provides the final performance readings of a design, an STA outcome is as good as its underlying components. Aside from the parasitic extraction … Read More


CEO Interview: Cristian Amitroaie of AMIQ EDA

CEO Interview: Cristian Amitroaie of AMIQ EDA
by Bernard Murphy on 07-05-2018 at 7:00 am

AMIQ EDA has caught my attention over the last few months. My first impression was that this was just another small IDE company trying to compete with established and bundled IDEs from the big 3, a seemingly insurmountable barrier. This view was challenged by an impressive list of testimonials, not just from the little guys but also… Read More


Morris Chang and Me

Morris Chang and Me
by Sunit Rikhi on 07-04-2018 at 12:00 pm

Legend has it that in 1984, Morris Chang was approached by a friend who was looking for money to buy equipment for manufacturing his electronic chip designs. Morris told him to do more homework. When his friend did not return, Morris reached out to him. His friend, it turned out, did not need the money after all. He had found another … Read More


55DAC Trip Report Needham Opening Presentation

55DAC Trip Report Needham Opening Presentation
by Daniel Nenni on 07-04-2018 at 7:00 am

Driving into DAC on Sunday afternoon was a chore since Gay Pride week was finishing with the Gay Pride Parade. Streets were closed, traffic was crazy, and people were roller skating naked which seems wrong on so many levels. This year the opening ceremonies were in the convention center hallway which also seemed wrong. Long lines… Read More


DAC 2018 Potpourri

DAC 2018 Potpourri
by Alex Tan on 07-03-2018 at 12:00 pm

The venue
Despite of being held at the new three-story Moscone West building, this year 55th DAC in San Francisco bore many similarities as compared with last year’s. Similar booth decors and floorplan positioning of the big two, Synopsys and Cadence, which were across of each other and right next to the first floor entrance –although… Read More


Dragonfly-NB2: You Can Have It All in Your IoT Device

Dragonfly-NB2: You Can Have It All in Your IoT Device
by Bernard Murphy on 07-03-2018 at 7:00 am

I wrote last month about CEVA’s Dragonfly-NB1 platform, a single-chip IoT solution supporting narrow-band cellular communication; this can meet aggressive total solution price-targets for high-volume deployment, long-range access and the low-power needed for 10+ year battery lifetimes. That solution, based on Release… Read More


IITC – Imec Presents Copper, Cobalt and Ruthenium Interconnect Results

IITC – Imec Presents Copper, Cobalt and Ruthenium Interconnect Results
by Scotten Jones on 07-02-2018 at 12:00 pm

The IEEE Interconnect Technology Conference (IITC): Advanced Metallization Conference was held June 4th through 7th in Santa Clara. Imec presented multiple papers on comparing copper, cobalt and ruthenium interconnect. One paper in particular caught my eye: Marleen H. van der Veen, # N. Heylen, O. Varela Pedreira, S. Decoster,… Read More


55DAC Trip Report with Drama

55DAC Trip Report with Drama
by Daniel Nenni on 07-02-2018 at 7:00 am

This was my 35th DAC and it did not disappoint, especially when it came to the DAC Drama Department. This year DAC proved once again that it is THE place for semiconductor professionals and academics to learn and network. The big news is that Synopsys did not reserve a booth for 56DAC in Las Vegas next year which resulted in quite a bit… Read More