If we wanted to reduce the definition of authentication to its most Zen-like simplicity, we could say authentication is “keeping things real.” To keep something real you need to have some sort of confirmation of its identity, as confirmation is the key (so to speak).… Read More
Synopsys Unifies Electrical, Thermal, Mechanical, and Optical Analysis with Multiphysics Fusion Solutions Market Leaders Including Cisco,…Read More
RISC-V and AI: The Architecture Shift Is NowThe semiconductor industry has experienced several defining transitions…Read More
PowerArtist RTL Power Estimation Folds into KeysightBack in the late 1990s, Sente launched a…Read More
Intel Foundry Expands the 18A Platform with 18A-P and Demonstrates Long-Term Technology Leadership at VLSI 2026At the 2026 VLSI Symposium, Intel Foundry provided…Read More
GPU-native mask rule checking eliminates the curvilinear mask rule check bottleneckAs semiconductor manufacturing pushes toward advanced nodes with…Read MoreCliff Hou’s DAC Keynote
Cliff Hou had two major appearances at DAC this year. He gave the opening day keynote…and he wrote the forward to Dan and my bookFabless: the Transformation of the Semiconductor Industry which about 1500 lucky people got a copy of courtesy of several companies, most notably eSilicon who sponsored the Tuesday evening post-conference… Read More
The Secret Essence of an IoT Design
Today the semiconductor industry along with electronics industry is looking up to capitalize from massive expansion foreseen in IoT (Internet of Things) domain. In simple terms we can consider IoT as connectivity between machines which can communicate with each other and work as programmed. In localized applications such … Read More
Intel Invests in the Fabless Ecosystem!
During my illustrious career one of the most useful axioms that I use just about everyday day is: “Understand what people say but also understand why they are saying it.” This certainly applies to press releases so let’s take a look at what Intel unleashed during #51DAC (in alphabetical order):
ANSYS And Intel Collaborate… Read More
ARC EM DSP supports Always-on Devices
The ARC EM family is the low-power, embedded and low footprint processor part of the larger ARC processor. To target the ultra low-power markets like wearable and IoT, Synopsys has added DSP capabilities to EM5D and EM7D. To be specific, these cores are optimized for ultra low-power control and DSP, thanks to:
- Energy-efficient
Enabling Technologies that Will Shape the next Wearables
One of the benefits of spending the last 30 years working in Silicon Valley and publishing a fabless semiconductor book is that I get invitations to speak at events I would normally be attending. Being on the other side of the podium is truly a unique experience and one worth pursuing, absolutely. This month I spoke at #51DAC about … Read More
Noise-Coupled Analysis for Automotive ICs at DAC
My favorite method to learn about EDA tools at DAC is by listening to actual IC designers, so on June 3rd I heard Jacob Bakker from NXP talk about his experience with noise coupled analysis for advanced mixed-signal automotive ICs.… Read More
Intel & Ansys Enable 14nm Chip Production
In the semiconductor industry, it feels great to hear about the process technology shrinking to lower nodes along with innovative transistor structures that offer major gains in PPA (Power, Performance and Area). However, it requires huge investment of capital, time and effort from foundries to conceptualize, prototype and… Read More
On the Road from Makers to Consumers
It’s time to break with conventional thinking. For decades, the measure of success for semiconductors has been OEM design wins. Most consumers haven’t known, or cared, about what is inside their electronic gadgets, as long as they work. That may be about to change, because a new intermediary is finding its voice – and being… Read More
Workshop: Embedded Applications and Kernels
Design Automation Conference Workshop on Suite of Embedded Applications and Kernels
In June, the first Suite of Embedded Applications and Kernels, or SEAK, workshop at the 2014 Design Automation Conference in San Francisco introduced a new Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency program in the area of embedded system benchmarking… Read More


Available Is Not In Control: Balancing Output, Quality, and Risk in High-Volume Fabs