This year I signed books in the Fractal booth (compliments of Fractal) and let me tell you it was quite an experience. IP quality is a very touchy subject and the source of many more tape-out delays than I had imagined. As it turns out, commercial IP is the biggest offender which makes no sense to me whatsoever. Even more shocking, one… Read More
The Architecture of Success: Why a Unified Semiconductor IP Strategy Is the Foundation of Modern SoC DesignAs architects push toward advanced nodes and increasingly…Read More
Whalechip Uses ChipAgents to Compress Root Cause Analysis into MinutesAI-powered platform identified four critical SoC bugs and…Read More
Keysight Design Engineering Software at DAC 2026: Going Deep on Chiplets, RF and AI-Driven DesignKeysight Technologies returns to 2026 DAC, The Chips…Read More
Tuple Technologies Develops AI-powered Infrastructure at 2026 DACTuple Technologies develops AI-powered infrastructure and operations platforms…Read MoreSiFive Unveils E2 Core IP Series for Smallest, Lowest Power RISC-V Designs
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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



TSMC CoWoS versus Intel EMIB Semiconductor Packaging