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RISC-V ASSP adds voice control

Fri, Mar 31, 2023

Developed in partnership with RISC-V ecosystem partners, the R9A06G150, 32bit ASSP is claimed to be the first RISC-V microcontroller designed for voice-controlled HMI (human-machine interface) systems.

It provides a cost-effective, production-ready voice control system that eliminates the need for RISC-V tools and upfront software investment.

The ASSP can be designed into devices used in residential and commercial building automation, home appliances, toys and healthcare devices. It supports multiple languages and user-defined keywords for voice recognition. The R9A06G150 is pre-programmed using specialised application code developed by independent design houses, added Renesas.

The R9A06G150 voice-control HMI ASSP is based on RISC-V processing IP from Andes Technology which incorporated its AndesCore D25F CPU core based on the AndeStar V5 architecture. “The 32-bit AndesCore D25F was engineered to deliver high per-MHz performance in a small silicon footprint,” explained Frankwell Lin, Andes’ chairman and CEO.

Renesas will deliver the first RISC-V voice-control ASSP pre-programmed with dedicated application code developed by Cyberon, an independent design house, specialising in voice-recognition technology, and Orbstar, a systems integrator specialising in embedded solutions Segger Microcontroller’s ecosystem, including Embedded Studio and J-Link will provide support for the voice-control ASSP.

The R9A06G150 voice control HMI ASSP features a 100MHz CPU with DSP instructions and floating-point extension. Low active current, reduced standby current, background operation, SRAM power-off choices, fast wakeup and low power timers contribute to low energy consumption. The ASSP is controlled by external host I/F via SCI/Uart, SPI, I3C or I2C.

It also features 256kbyte, 128kbyte RAM and 16kbyte data flash memory. There is also a QSPI (queued serial peripheral interface) for memory expansion.

The R9A06G150 32-bit MCU voice-control HMI ASSP is available now in a 24-, 32- or 48-lead HWQFN package.

Renesas also offers a reference kit for the ASSP, which includes hardware, software, tools, hardware/software datasheets, GUI manual and app notes.

http://www.renesas.com

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Full stack, AI-driven EDA suite designs, verifies, tests and manufactures AI chips

Thu, Mar 30, 2023

At this year’s Synopsys Users Group (SNUG) Silicon Valley Conference, Synopsys, launched Synopsys.ai, a suite of AI-driven solutions for the design, verification, testing and manufacturing of advanced digital and analogue chips. Engineers can now use AI at every stage of chip design, said Synopsys, from system architecture to design and manufacturing and access the solutions in the cloud.

The Synopsys.ai EDA suite includes AI-driven tools. One is digital design space optimisation to achieve power, performance and area (PPA) targets which boosts productivity.

There is also analogue design automation for the rapid migration of analogue designs across process nodes.

Verification coverage closure and regression analysis is also in the suite, providing faster functional testing closure, higher coverage and predictive bug detection, said Synopsys.

There is also automated test generation resulting in fewer, optimised test patterns for silicon defect coverage and faster time to results.

For manufacturing, there are tools to accelerate the development of lithography models with high accuracy to achieve the highest yield.

“Increased complexity, engineering resource constraints and tighter delivery windows were challenges crying out for a full AI-driven EDA software stack from architectural exploration to design and manufacturing,” said Shankar Krishnamoorthy, general manager of Synopsys EDA group.

“With Synopsys.ai solutions, our customers’ ability to search design solution spaces across multiple domains is in hyperdrive,” he added.

The AI-driven EDA design suite is being used by Renesas, which achieved a 10 fold improvement in reducing functional coverage holes and up to 30 per cent increase in IP verification productivity.

Renesas, a leader in the automotive space, is already using Synopsys.ai to shave weeks off product development times with enhanced silicon performance and cost reduction. Nvidia, TSMC, IBM and MediaTek all support the AI-driven EDA design strategy.

Synopsys describes itself as the Silicon to Software partner for companies developing the electronic products and software applications. It is an S&P 500 company, with a long history of electronic design automation (EDA) and semiconductor IP and says it offers the industry’s broadest portfolio of application security testing tools and services for SoC designers creating advanced semiconductors and software developers writing more secure, high-quality code.

http://www.synopsys.com

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Arduino Uno R4 uses 32bit microcontroller to boost performance

Wed, Mar 29, 2023

The latest addition to Arduino’s Uno family, the Uno R4 is available in two versions, the Uno R4 WiFi and UnoR4 Minima. The Uno R4 WiFi features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity and the UNO R4 Minima provides a cost-effective option for those seeking the new microcontroller without additional features.

The Uno R4 is powered by the Renesas RA4M1 32-bit microcontroller based on the Arm Cortex-M4 core. This, said Arduino, provides “a significant boost” in processing power, memory and functionality, compared to the Uno R3, which will not be discontinued, confirmed Arduino.

The WiFi version comes with an Espressif S3 WiFi module.

The R4 maintains the same form factor, shield compatibility and 5V operating voltage as the R3. Arduino confirmed software compatibility, adding most existing libraries and examples work seamlessly on the R4. Some libraries that were previously optimised for the AVR architecture in R3 may require porting to the new Renesas architecture, advised Arduino.

Support for other Renesas microcontrollers, such as the RL78/G22 and G23, has also been added to the Arduino IDE (integrated development environment).

“We are honoured to collaborate with Arduino on their iconic Uno product line,” said Chris Allexandre, senior vice president, CSMO and head of global sales and marketing at Renesas. “Despite the challenges of this intricate project with a rich legacy, our 5V 32-bit Arm Cortex M4-based microcontrollers . . . . [offer] enhanced performance and resources to unlock endless potential for makers worldwide”.

“We believe that even iconic products must evolve to keep up with the ever-changing needs of our community and technological advancements. While maintaining the Uno R3 in our product line up, we collaborated closely with our partners Renesas and Espressif to create the most compatible and powerful maker board on the market,” says Fabio Violante, CEO at Arduino.

The Arduino Uno R4, featuring the Renesas RA4M1 (Arm Cortex-M4) running at 48MHz, boasts a three-fold performance increase over the Uno R3. SRAM has been upgraded from 2kbyte to 32kbyte and flash memory has increased from 32kbyte to 256kbyte to support increasingly complex projects. The company has also listened to community feedback, changing the USB port to a USB-C port and raising the maximum power supply voltage to 24V with an enhanced thermal design. The board includes a CAN bus and an SPI port, enabling users to reduce wiring and perform parallel tasks by connecting multiple shields. A 12-bit DAC is also on the new board.

To assist with any software transition, Arduino will provide a public list of such libraries, along with links to alternative options. To encourage library developers to port their low-level code to the Renesas architecture, an early adopter program has been launched.

The Arduino UNO R4 is set for release in late May.

Open-source hardware and software company, Arduino, provides an easy-to-use platform for interactive projects. With approximately 30 million active users, the Arduino community has expanded into IoT, wearables, 3D printing, and embedded environments.

https://www.arduino.cc

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Surface-mount RF switch connectors isolate ports to improve data accuracy

Wed, Mar 29, 2023

Surface-mount RF switch connectors from Linx Technologies provide high isolation between ports for improved data accuracy. They are designed primarily for use in diagnostic measurement between PCB components, the compact, low-profile connectors are available in both SWD and SWF versions.

The RF switch connectors allow customers to conveniently diagnose problems within a transmission line throughout a product’s life cycle, said the company, and provide a quick way to ensure products are functioning as intended.

The RF switch connectors operate in the 0Hz to 6GHz range. They are designed for reflow-solder mounting directly to a PCB for high-volume applications. All Linx connectors meet RoHS lead-free standards and are tested to meet requirements for corrosion resistance, vibration, mechanical and thermal shock.

The SWD and SWF RF switch connectors are available now via Linx Technologies’ distributor and manufacturer representative networks.

Linx Technologies (now part of TE Connectivity) manufactures wireless components including antennas, RF connectors and cables, RF modules, and remote controls.

TE Connectivity offers a broad range of connectivity and sensor solutions, proven in the harshest environments, enable advancements in transportation, industrial applications, medical technology, energy, data communications and the home.

https://www.linxtechnologies.com

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RISC-V ASSP adds voice control

Full stack, AI-driven EDA suite designs, verifies, tests and manufactures AI chips

Arduino Uno R4 uses 32bit microcontroller to boost performance

Surface-mount RF switch connectors isolate ports to improve data accuracy

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