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Using Sequential Testing to Shorten Monte Carlo Simulations

Using Sequential Testing to Shorten Monte Carlo Simulations
by Tom Simon on 12-27-2017 at 7:00 am

When working on an analog design, after initial design specs have been met, it is useful to determine if the design meets specs out to 3 or 4 sigma based on process variation. This can serve as a useful step before going any further. It might not be a coincidence that foundries base their Cpk on 3-sigma. To refresh, Cpk is the ratio of the… Read More


Neural Networks Leverage New Technology and Mimic Ancient Biological Systems

Neural Networks Leverage New Technology and Mimic Ancient Biological Systems
by Tom Simon on 12-26-2017 at 12:00 pm

Neural networks make it possible to use machine learning for a wide variety of tasks, removing the need to write new code for each new task. Neural networks allow computers to use experiential learning instead of explicit programming to make decisions. The basic concepts related to neural networks were first proposed in the 1940’s,… Read More


HLS Rising

HLS Rising
by Bernard Murphy on 12-26-2017 at 7:00 am

No-one could accuse Badru Agarwala, GM of the Mentor/Siemens Calypto Division, of being tentative about high-level synthesis. (HLS). Then again, he and a few others around the industry have been selling this story for quite a while, apparently to a small and not always attentive audience. But times seem to be changing. I’ve written… Read More


China is right: The world doesn’t need Silicon Valley

China is right: The world doesn’t need Silicon Valley
by Vivek Wadhwa on 12-25-2017 at 7:00 am

Ever since the Chinese Government banned Facebook in 2009, Mark Zuckerberg has been making annual trips there attempting to persuade its leaders to let his company back in. He learned Mandarin and jogged through the smog-filled streets of Beijing to show how much he loved the country. Facebook even created new tools to allow China… Read More


2017 Semiconductors +20%, 2018 slower

2017 Semiconductors +20%, 2018 slower
by Bill Jewell on 12-24-2017 at 7:00 am

The global semiconductor market in 2017 will finish with annual growth of about 20%. Recent forecasts range from 19.6% to 22%. World Semiconductor Trades Statistics (WSTS) data is finalized through October, thus the final year results will almost certainly be within this range. We at Semiconductor Intelligence have raised … Read More


IEDM 2017 – Intel Versus GLOBALFOUNDRIES at the Leading Edge

IEDM 2017 – Intel Versus GLOBALFOUNDRIES at the Leading Edge
by Scotten Jones on 12-22-2017 at 9:00 am

As I have discussed in previous blogs, IEDM is one of the premier conferences to learn about the latest developments in semiconductor technology. … Read More


"The Year of the eFPGA" 2017 Recap

"The Year of the eFPGA" 2017 Recap
by Tom Dillinger on 12-22-2017 at 7:00 am

This past January, I had postulated that 2017 would be the “Year of the Embedded FPGA”, as a compelling IP offering for many SoC designs (link). As the year draws to a close, I thought it would be interesting to see how that prediction turned out.

The criteria that would be appropriate metrics include: increasing capital investment;… Read More


Embedded In-chip Monitoring, Webinar Recap

Embedded In-chip Monitoring, Webinar Recap
by Daniel Payne on 12-21-2017 at 12:00 pm

Six years ago I first interviewed Stephen Crosher, CEO and Co-founder of Moortecas they were in startup mode with some new semiconductor IP for temperature sensing, and earlier this month I attended their webinar all about embedded in-chip monitoring to get caught up with their technology and growing success. Ramsay Allen is … Read More


Aldec and High-Performance Computing

Aldec and High-Performance Computing
by Bernard Murphy on 12-21-2017 at 7:00 am

Aldec continues to claim a bigger seat at the table, most recently in their attendance at SC17, the supercomputing conference hosted last month in Denver. I’m really not sure how to categorize Aldec now. EDA company seems to miss the mark by a wide margin. Prototyping company? Perhaps, though they have a much stronger focus on end-applications… Read More


Test Compression for Mission Critical SoCs

Test Compression for Mission Critical SoCs
by Mitch Heins on 12-20-2017 at 12:00 pm

With the advent of the Internet-of-Things (IoT), Industry 4.0, Cognitive Computing, and autonomous vehicles and robots we are seeing an unprecedented number of systems-on-a-chip (SoCs) going into mission-critical applications. To accomplish the complexity of these applications, SoCs are being manufactured in leading-edge… Read More