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PragmatIC has partnered with Imec on the manufacturing of a fully-flexible high-performance eight-bit microprocessor — primarily based on the venerable MOS 6502, however carried out on a 0.8µm versatile course of, and focusing on the Web of Issues (IoT).
“Till just lately, there was no mature and strong expertise out there for integrating such numerous thin-film transistors with adequate yield,” claims PragmatIC’s Brian Cobb. “Our pioneering FlexLogIC fab now permits the speedy turnaround of such advanced new designs at an ultra-low value, delivering ICs on skinny and versatile wafers.”
PragmatIC is again with one other versatile 6502 processor, this time providing efficiency appropriate for the IoT. (📷: PragmatIC)
It is from PragmatIC’s first flexible processor: The corporate made headlines final yr with its first versatile model of the MOS Expertise 6502, launched as the most affordable microprocessor out there in 1975 and located on the coronary heart of gadgets starting from Apple’s first programs to the Nintendo Leisure System and Commodore 64 — however not, in contrast to PragmatIC’s model, identified for its means to bend.
The brand new chip designed by Imec and constructed on PragmatIC’s FlexLogIC node additionally takes the 6502 as its base, however goals at efficiency somewhat than proof-of-concept: “Our versatile microprocessor exhibits glorious traits for IoT functions,” Imec’s Kris Myny claims, “together with excessive velocity (71.4kHz max working velocity), low energy consumption (11.6mW when operating at 10kHz, 134.9mW at max working velocity), and excessive transistor integration density (~16,000 transistors with 0.8µm gate size in a 24.9mm² chip.)
The 6502 continues to be in lively manufacturing for embedded use, although it does not normally bend. (📷: Mouser)
“We created our personal design movement ranging from the open-source file of the MOS6502 microprocessor – probably the most influential microprocessors ever designed. We engineered the variety of cells and logic gates to acquire probably the most optimum design for our flexible6502 microprocessor when it comes to space, energy, and velocity – utilizing pseudo-CMOS as our logic household. This distinctive design movement allowed us to create a brand new normal cell library for metal-oxide thin-film expertise that can be utilized to innovate functions primarily based on metal-oxide thin-film expertise.”
The analysis undertaking, which was funded as a part of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 analysis and innovation program, will probably be introduced on the Worldwide Stable State Circuits Convention (ISSCC ’22), with an indication of the chip operating a model of the Snake recreation written in 6502 meeting.
Neither PragmatIC nor Imec have confirmed plans to show the design right into a business product.
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