risc-v

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 14 Comments on Imagination introduces Catapult RISC-V CPU cores

Imagination introduces Catapult RISC-V CPU cores

Catapult RISC-V CPU

As expected, Imagination Technologies is giving another try to the CPU IP market with the Catapult RISC-V CPU cores following their previous unsuccessful attempt with the MIPS architecture, notably the Aptiv family. Catapult RISC-V CPUs are/will be available in four distinct families for dynamic microcontrollers, real-time embedded CPUs, high-performance application CPUs, and functionally safe automotive CPUs. The new 32-/64-bit RISC-V cores will be scalable to up to eight asymmetric coherent cores-per cluster, offer a “plethora of customer configurable options”, and support optional custom accelerators. What you won’t see today are block diagrams and detailed technical information about the cores because apparently, all that information is confidential even though some Catapult RISC-V cores are already shipping “in high-performance Imagination automotive GPUs”. The only way to get more details today is to sign an NDA. Having said that we have some more information about the target markets and development tools.  Imagination Capapult […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments on ESP32-C3 AWS IoT ExpressLink module & devkit aim to ease connection to AWS IoT services

ESP32-C3 AWS IoT ExpressLink module & devkit aim to ease connection to AWS IoT services

ESP32-C3 AWS ExpressLink DevKit

Amazon and Espressif have launched another wireless module with the ESP32-C3 AWS IoT ExpressLink module together with a development kit supporting out-of-the-box AWS IoT connectivity, following their earlier collaboration with the launch of the ESP32-PICO-V3-ZERO Alexa Connect Kit Module last summer. Also called the “ESP32-C3-MINI-1-N4-A”, the ESP32-C3 AWS IoT ExpressLink module implements the AWS IoT ExpressLink specification and provides AWS IoT Core connectivity to a host MCU via AT commands over a UART interface. Pre-provisioned and pre-programmed with ease integration the module supports WiFi configuration, messaging, OTA, and device management.   The compact (16.6 x 13.2mm) ESP32-C3 module is currently offered as part of the ESP32-C3-AWS-ExpressLink-DevKit development board following the Arduino Zero board form factor allowing it to be plugged into the Arduino board, or easily connect to other host systems such as the Raspberry Pi. The goal is to simplify the deployment of IoT solutions removing the need for […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 20 Comments on SiFive Performance P650 RISC-V core to outperform Arm Cortex-A77 performance per mm2

SiFive Performance P650 RISC-V core to outperform Arm Cortex-A77 performance per mm2

SiFive Performance P650

About six months have passed since the SiFive announcement of the Performance P550 “fastest 64-bit RISC-V processor” ever, and the company has now introduced an even faster RISC-V core with the Performance P650 that’s expected to match Cortex-A77 performance. Building upon the Performance P550 design, the SiFive Performance P650 is scalable to sixteen cores using a coherent multicore complex, and delivers a 40% performance increase per clock cycle based on SiFive engineering estimated performance in SPECInt2006/GHz, thanks to an expansion of the processor’s instruction-issue width. The company compares P650 to the Arm family by saying it “maintains a significant performance-per-area advantage compared to the Arm Cortex-A77”. SiFive Performance P650 key features: 64-bit RISC-V (RV64GCB) core Sv39/Sv48 Virtual Memory Support Multi-core, multi-cluster processor configurations with up to 16 cores Performance > 11 SpecINT2006/GHz Thirteen stage, four-issue, out-of-order pipeline tuned for scalable performance Private L2 Caches and Streaming Prefetcher for improved memory […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 17 Comments on VisionFive V1 RISC-V Linux SBC resurrects BeagleV StarFive single board computer

VisionFive V1 RISC-V Linux SBC resurrects BeagleV StarFive single board computer

VisionFive V1 RISC-V SBC

Last summer we reported that BeagleV StarFive RISC-V SBC would not be manufactured, but all was not lost as StarFive would collaborate with Radxa to make a new single board computer based on their JH7100 dual-core 64-bit RISC-V processor. But thanks to a report on Heise and extra photos acquired by CNX Software, we now have more details about the board that mostly comes with the same features as the BeagleV StarFive, but a completely different layout that brings all the main ports to one side of the board. VisionFive V1 specifications: SoC – StarFive JH7100 Vision SoC with: Dual-core Sifive U74 RISC-V processor @ 1.5 GHz with 2MB L2 cache Vision DSP Tensilica-VP6 for computing vision NVDLA Engine 1 core (configuration 2048 MACs @ 800MHz  – 3.5 TOPS) Neural Network Engine (1024MACs @ 500MHz – 1 TOPS) VPU – H.264/H.265 decoder up to 4Kp60, dual-stream decoding up to 4Kp30 […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 22 Comments on Sipeed LicheeRV – A $16.90 Allwinner D1 Linux RISC-V board

Sipeed LicheeRV – A $16.90 Allwinner D1 Linux RISC-V board

Sipeed LicheeRV

Finally! There’s now a much more affordable Allwinner D1 RISC-V Linux board thanks to Sipeed LicheeRV Nezha CM SBC sold for $16.90 and up on Aliexpress, that’s much cheaper than the $100 asked for Nezha SBC, although still not incredibly cheap as we’ll see from the specifications below. Sipeed LicheeRV is actually both a board and a system-on-on-module with an edge connector, and is equipped with 512MB DDR3, a USB-C OTG port, a MicroSD card socket, and an SPI display interface. The dual M.2 edge connector can be plugged into a carrier board, and they will be a “86 Box” (86x86mm) for HMI display that can be used for home automation. Sipeed Lichee RV specifications: SoC – Allwinner D1 single-core XuanTie C906 64-bit RISC-V processor @ 1.0 GHz with HiFi4 DSP, G2D 2D graphics accelerators Memory – 512MB DDR3 memory @ 792 MHz Storage – MicroSD card slot Video – […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments on Renesas RH850/U2B automotive SoC features RISC-V-based parallel co-processor

Renesas RH850/U2B automotive SoC features RISC-V-based parallel co-processor

Renesas RH850/U2B

Renesas Electronics RH850/U2B is an automotive SoC designed for electronic control unit (ECU) with used for hybrid ICE and xEV traction inverter, high-end zone control, connected gateways, and vehicle motion applications. The processor includes up to eight 400MHz RH850 32-bit RISC performance cores with four of them in lockstep architecture for ASIL-D and ASIL-B compliance, as well as DR1000C RISC-V-based parallel co-processor (data flow processor) with vector extension (DFP) from NSITEXE designed to support “the fast execution of complex mathematical algorithms”. Renesas RH850/U2B key features & specifications: CPU cores – 400MHz speed for up to 8+4 (LockStep) RH850 G4MH CPUs Memory – Up to 5.1MB RAM on-chip Storage Up to 32MB Flash on-chip SFMA (Serial flash memory interface), eMMC interfaces for external storage Co-Processor – DR1000C RISC-V based MIMD high-performance embedded vector processor Embedded EMU3S (Embedded motor control unit), RDC3X (Position sensor interface), TSG3 (motor timer) for field-oriented traction motor […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments on Giveaway Week 2021 winners announced!

Giveaway Week 2021 winners announced!

Giveaway Week 2021 winners

Giveaway Week 2021 is now over, and I’m ready to announce the winners. This year, CNX Software was joined by Rakwireless and Shenzhen Xunlong Software, as I did not have enough hardware to send out. I also had planned to give away Crowbits Master Kit, but when I realized the ESP32 module had a battery, I would have had to ask $100 just for shipping, plus having the risk of messing things up, since I’ve never sent devices with batteries with the new regulations. Nevertheless, the void was filled thanks to the generosity of Rakwireless who offered a solar-powered LoRa GPS tracker, and Shenzhen Xunlong Software who proposed an Orange Pi R1 SBC with a plastic enclosure. Let’s go through the list of winners located in four continents with Europe, North America, Asia, and Oceania represented: NanoPi R2S gateway – Jason, CANADA WisBlock Kit 2 LoRa-based GPS Tracker with Solar […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 148 Comments on Giveaway Week – Bluetrum AB32VG1 RISC-V board

Giveaway Week – Bluetrum AB32VG1 RISC-V board

Bluetrum AB32VG1 RISC-V audio board

The next prize for our once-in-a-year giveaway week is Bluetrum AB32VG1 RISC-V development board based on Bluetrum AB5301A MCU. The board is designed for Bluetooth audio applications as well as general-purpose applications and comes with Arduino headers for expansion. A USB Type-C cable is also included for power and programming. I tested the RISC-V board with RT-Thread open-source operating systems, and let’s say it was quite challenging because development tools need to be improved, but RT-Thread developers are committed to providing a better experience to developers. What’s important is that in the end, after some efforts, I managed to blink an LED and play some music through a pair of speakers connected to the 3.5mm audio jack, and the USB port for power. At the time of review, there was no Bluetooth sample, and a quick look at the documentation shows it may not be available just yet. If you’d […]