As a kid, I can remember the rare treat of visiting a house where two mirrors were mounted to face each other on opposite walls. Any object between them would be copied a myriad of times, usually curving off into the distance as they acquired the greenish tinge characteristic of the wavelengths the mirrors reflect best. It was easy to make zillions of copies of candies, although most of them appeared too far away even for a kid to be motivated to gather them.
Emerging Solutions
Balancing cores and memory with Smart Data Acceleration
Ed Sperling of Semiconductor Engineering recently noted that adding more cores to a processor doesn’t necessarily improve system performance. In fact, designing the wrong size or type of core may actually waste power. “This has set the stage for a couple of broad shifts in the semiconductor industry,” Sperling explained. “Memory architectures can play an important role here. Most of the current approaches use on-chip SRAM and off-chip DRAM. But different packaging options, coupled with different memory architectures, can change the formula.”
Going beyond DRAM with Smart Data Acceleration
Ed Sperling of Semiconductor Engineering recently noted that new memory types and approaches are being developed as Moore’s Law begins to slow. “What fits where in the memory hierarchy is becoming less clear as the semiconductor industry grapples with these changes,” he explained. “New architectures, such as fan-outs and 2.5D, raise questions about how many levels of cache need to be on-die, and whether high-speed connections and shorter distances can provide equal or better performance off-chip.”
Designing the eyes of the IoT
Rambus recently participated in the 4YFN Innovators Breakfast with IXDS and Bosch at the MWC (Fira Montjuic) MLove Lounge. During the event, Rambus CMO Jerome Nadel discussed his take on design thinking, with a focus on lensless smart sensors (LSS) and related partners-in-open-development (POD) initiatives.
The LSS-VR connection
A slew of virtual reality (VR) products are on display at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2016, including LG’s VR headset for the new G5 smartphone. Meanwhile, Samsung set up an entire theater dedicated to VR outside Plaza Catalunya in central Barcelona, Spain. According to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who made a surprise appearance at Samsung’s MWC press conference earlier this week, VR could be “the most social platform” of the future.
Rambus lensless smart sensors go thermal
Rambus scientists have debuted thermal-enabled lensless smart sensor (LSS) technology at MWC 2016 in Barcelona. As Rambus Labs VP Gary Bronner notes, LSS now supports thermal capabilities alongside the visible spectrum. “LSS can enable a future where IoT technology is infused in every aspect of modern life, from smart cities and transportation to medical equipment and manufacturing,” said Bronner.