Suppose you were creating a sensor intended to measure one phenomenon we’ll call A, and you spent years ensuring that its readings weren’t affected by another phenomenon we’ll call B. Now suppose you finally achieve your goal, only for your customers to tell you, “We love your A sensor… but we’d really like one that can measure B.”
Funnily enough, this is just … Read More → "Making Materials Smart with Nanoscale Sensors"
I remember the heady days of the 1970s, when new and exciting 8-bit processor architectures were sprouting like metaphorical mushrooms. I’m sure that, like me, you are thinking of little beauties like the 8008 (1972), 8080 (1974), and 8085 (1976) from Intel, the 6800 (1974) from Motorola, the 6502 (1975) from MOS Technology, and the Z80 (1976) from Zilog.
However, there were many other contenders that deserve mention, such as the 8-bit PPS-8 (1974) from Rockwell International, which … Read More → "Efficient Computer’s Efficient Computer is 100X More Energy Efficient than Other General-Purpose Processors"
Hello there. Welcome to 2Q 21C. We hope you’ll enjoy your stay. (2Q 21C is the
notation I’ve invented to indicate the second quarter of the 21st century—you’re welcome.)
Over the past few years, we’ve been introduced to a cornucopia of new processor designs, many of which target artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications.
Most of these … Read More → "A 4-Bit CPU for the 21st Century"
As I’ve mentioned before (and as I will no doubt mention again), I was at the front of the queue when the first commercial version of the Oculus Rift made its debut in 2016 with an orchestral flourish of ophicleides (and you don’t forget one of those in a hurry).
To be honest, I was never a big gamer before the introduction of virtual reality (VR) … Read More → "Resurrecting Dead Grandmothers (Again)"
My head hurts. As usual, I’ve been floundering around in embedded space (where no one can hear you scream). And as a result, I’ve been introduced to something with so many possibilities and potentialities that I don’t know whether I’m coming or going or doing something else entirely.
I was just chatting with Rolf Segger, the Founder, Owner, and Chief Strategist, and Dirk … Read More → "A Blob No More"
Every once in a while, I run across a story that’s awesome in its simplicity, whilst still managing to be mindbogglingly complex “under the hood,” as it were. But fear not, because I’m sure I’ll manage to make things confusing if I try (and even if I don’t).
This is a story in three parts. Let’s start with the folks at Read More → "GenSoC: Designing SoCs with Generative AI"