Exploring multiprocessing extremes
Extreme multiprocessing is an interesting topic because it can mean vastly different things to different people depending on what types of problems they are trying to solve.
View ArticleUCSD Turns On the Light on Dark Silicon
The power budget of a reference die is almost constant due to the die’s fixed dimensions. The die will reach a semiconductor technology node where only a small percent of its Moore’s Law–predicted...
View ArticleAre you, or would you consider, using a 4-bit microcontroller?
Jack Ganssle asked me if 4-bit microcontrollers are dead. There are at least three companies that still provide 4-bit products, so the answer is no. Are you, or anyone you know using a 4-bit...
View ArticleConsiderations for 4-bit processing
4-bit processors are not a dead product line. In fact, in the right volumes and performing the right tasks they offer some interesting differentiation – especially in the area of energy consumption...
View ArticleDark Silicon Redux: System Design Problem or Fundamental Law?
In August 2010 it appeared that UCSD/MIT and soon others would solve the dark silicon problem.All would be well: Moore’s Law that provides more transistors would also provide higher compute...
View ArticleForward to the Past: A Different Way to Cope with Dark Silicon
In response to Leigh’s comment, we explore a second or rather first example of dark silicon utilization in the relatively “old” Ambric architecture whose introduction was not associated with dark...
View ArticleWill Watson affect embedded systems?
IBM’s Watson computer system recently beat two of the strongest Jeopardy players in the world in a real match of Jeopardy. This latest example of extreme processing innovation demonstrates that a...
View ArticleWhat makes an embedded design low power?
It seems that nearly everything these days is marketed as low power. Is this reasonable even though there is no definitive industry threshold that makes where low power begins/ends? As technology...
View ArticleLow Power Design: Energy Harvesting
Energy harvesting designs are ideal for tasks that take place in locations that are difficult to deliver power, and for this reason, they usually run autonomously. Energy harvesting designs consist of...
View ArticleWhen is running warm – too hot?
As mobile devices deliver more capabilities, including better graphics, in small form factors, the design challenges of keeping a warming system from becoming too hot become more visible to the end...
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