Articles – Page 110

February 21, 2019

We’ve written a lot about AI in the cloud, and we’ve discussed data center solutions such as GPUs, high-end FPGAs, and dedicated AI chips such as Intel’s Nervana. For many applications, training and inferencing CNNs and other AI-based systems in cloud data centers is the only way to get the compute power required to crunch the vast data sets and complex models. But, for perhaps an even larger set of applications, cloud-based inference is not practical. We may need latency that cannot be achieved by shipping data upstream to be analyzed. We may … Read More → "Who Will Win AI at the Edge?"

Pimping My Variac Autotransformer (Actually, it’s a Philmore)

Gear Lust Inevitably Makes Us All Do Silly Things

by Steven Leibson

February 21, 2019

It seemed like such a good idea at the time.

I’ve wanted an autotransformer for electronic troubleshooting work for a while. Autotransformers are variable transformers that let you bring the AC voltage up slowly on a piece of gear under test. I owned a Radio Shack/Micronta variable transformer for decades, but it didn’t survive my move to California during the dot-com boom and subsequent bust. I’ve waited nearly 20 years to replace it. Recently, I happened to see an inexpensive autotransformer in the Cogwell eBay store. Cogwell … Read More → "Pimping My Variac Autotransformer (Actually, it’s a Philmore)"

ARM Floats Helium for Cortex-M

New Instruction-Set Extensions aid DSP, ML Performance

by Jim Turley

February 20, 2019

“I’m sorry, but neon just doesn’t look good on anybody!” — Tiffani Thiessen

First there was Neon, now there’s Helium. ARM has pulled the wraps off a package of DSP and machine-learning extensions for its low-end Cortex-M processors, sort of like Neon but not. Whereas Neon added DSP features to the Cortex-A family, Helium adds similar, but different, features to Cortex-M. So, Helium is lighter than Neon.

Atomic weights aside, Helium will add a substantial boost to the performance and capabilities of future Cortex-M … Read More → "ARM Floats Helium for Cortex-M"

In Memoriam: Dr. Bernard Peuto, Architect of Zilog’s Z8000 and Z8

Also Trustee Emeritus and Friend of the Computer History Museum

by Steven Leibson

February 19, 2019

“We’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when…” – “We’ll Meet Again,” Vera Lynn

My friend Bernard Peuto passed away this month. We first met two decades ago when I moved to California to join the Microprocessor Report. Bernard was acting president of the organization from 1997 to 1999, and he helped me substantially during the transition period following the subsequent departure of the Microprocessor Report’s founder Michael Slater. At that … Read More → "In Memoriam: Dr. Bernard Peuto, Architect of Zilog’s Z8000 and Z8"

Small, Selective Gas Sensors

N5 Sensors Blends MOX, PID Approaches

by Bryon Moyer

February 18, 2019

One of the annual features at the MEMS and Sensors Executive Congress is the Technology Showcase, where 5 start-ups (or start-upoids) give quick presentations about their new ideas in exchange for visibility and prizes. One of this year’s contenders was Abhishek Motayed of n5 Sensors, who presented what looked like a promising new gas sensor platform. The nature of the event is such that you can’t go into much detail, so I had a conversation with him after the conference to get a better sense of the state of current gas sensors and how his technology might change … Read More → "Small, Selective Gas Sensors"

News Flash: Itanic Still Sinking

Intel Sends End-of-Life Notice Out for Itanium 9700 Series Processors. So What?

by Steven Leibson

February 13, 2019

May the odds be ever in your favor. – The Hunger Games

Intel announced the name of its IA-64 processor in October, 1999. The company’s future 64-bit, VLIW processor would be known as the “Itanium.” Overnight, Usenet boffins christened it the “Itanic,” and the name stuck. The Register has long used the name, and my friend Nick Tredennick often used the term at Microprocessor Forums. Understandably, Intel was not enamored of the nickname.

That was two decades … Read More → "News Flash: Itanic Still Sinking"

Itanium Deathwatch Finally Over

Intel’s Itanium Receives its Official Death Warrant

by Jim Turley

February 12, 2019

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky

It’s not as though we didn’t see this coming, but it’s still a bittersweet moment. Intel’s Itanium, which has been on life support for years, was just given its official end-of-life (EOL) papers. Go ahead and engrave the date of January 30, 2020 on its massive silicon tombstone.

It’s easy with … Read More → "Itanium Deathwatch Finally Over"

Wireless IoT Flexibility

Sigfox for Small Data, Cellular for Big

by Bryon Moyer

February 11, 2019

Let’s say that you’ve got some IoT equipment that you need to deploy out in some far-flung location. And you need to be able to connect to the cloud with it for data upload (and maybe download too). What are your choices?

No, this isn’t yet another rant on how little connectivity there is in the wilds. Although… yeah, that might be your first problem. But … Read More → "Wireless IoT Flexibility"

Moore’s Law and the Seven Devices

The Identities of the Chips Gordon Moore used to Intuit His Eponymous Law, Revealed!

by Steven Leibson

February 7, 2019

One transistor, two transistors, three transistors, four,

Five transistors, six transistors, seven transistors, Moore.

Way, way back in 1965, when the nearly prehistoric semiconductor industry made integrated circuits using the equivalent of stone knives and bearskins, Fairchild Semiconductor’s R&D Labs Director Gordon Moore wrote and published a very short article. If you have never heard of this article, check your browser. You have … Read More → "Moore’s Law and the Seven Devices"

Teaching Alexa to Ignore Your TV

How Does She Know If It’s Really You Talking?

by Jim Turley

February 6, 2019

“The medium is the message” – Marshall McLuhan

Distinguishing between a live human speaking and a recorded version of the same person is trickier than it sounds, and it has a lot of developers scrambling for solutions. Amazon’s Alexa team, for one, has published some of its research results along with some ideas for improvement. The techniques range from the simple to the complex, with detours into the creative and the slightly creepy.

Voice recognition as a whole just keeps getting tougher. It seems like the … Read More → "Teaching Alexa to Ignore Your TV"