MFCC vs aMFCC Table of Contents Introduction Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficient (MFCC): use cases, coefficient, process, détail principles, conclusion Analog MFCC: concept, conclusion MFCC vs aMFCC: key differences, accuracy results Conclusion Introduction With the recent development of IoT and mobile devices, the need for efficient voice-activated functions is significantly increasing. The traditional approach leverages cloud connectivity to execute speech recognition and natural language processing algorithms on powerful remote servers. While this method is effective, it can be challenging for applications such as battery-powered devices due to the significant energy consumption required to continuously stream audio data to the cloud.Another approach would be to process wake-up keywords and a restricted set of command words on the end device itself, thereby reducing the power budget to a minimum. This will also allow to reduce the latency.The analog MFCC (aMFCC) approach allows to manage this challenge by drastically reducing the power needed to extract the audio features commonly used by voice recognition algorithms.This application note presents both the conventional MFCC and the aMFCC approaches and provides the key insights to understand their differences. Download White Paper
Design & Reuse IP SoC 2023 – AVS Presentation available
Design & Reuse IP SoC 2023 – AVS Presentation available Feel free to download the presentation by Vincent Telandro, our Product Marketing Manager, given on 5 December at the IP SoC Days 2023, organised by Design & Reuse. Adaptive Voltage Scaling – Ultimate Energy Efficiency Adaptive Voltage Scaling (AVS) is a dynamic power optimization technique that adjusts the voltage supplied to a computer chip based on its workload and operating conditions. This closed-loop approach ensures efficient energy consumption by providing only the minimum required voltage, thus reducing power dissipation without compromising performance. This presentation will showcase how AVS optimizes power consumption in real-time by dynamically adjusting chip voltage based on workload, enabling energy-efficient computer vision solutions. Download the Presentation
Design & Reuse IP SoC 2023 – Far-Edge Computer Vision, Presentation available
Design & Reuse IP SoC 2023 Far-Edge Computer Vision Presentation available You are welcome to download the presentation of our CTO, Vincent Huard, at the Design & Reuse IP SoC conference 2023 (December 4th – 5th). Transforming Far-Edge Computer Vision with Energy-Efficient AI In the rapidly advancing field of computer vision, the stakes have never been higher for innovations that not only push the boundaries of technology but also prioritize sustainability. At the forefront of this revolution is our CTO’s presentation at this conference “Transforming Far-Edge Computer Vision with Energy-Efficient AI.” Download the Presentation
Adaptive Voltage Scaling (AVS): Enhancing Chipset Performance and Efficiency
Adaptive Voltage Scaling (AVS): Enhancing Chipset Performance and Efficiency Table of Contents Understanding process variation and corner tightening Dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) Introducing Adaptive Voltage Scaling (AVS) AVS mechanism Benefits of AVS Enhanced power efficiency Device aging Conclusion Introduction Adaptive Voltage Scaling (AVS) is a critical technique in the semiconductor industry to optimize the performance and power efficiency of integrated circuits (ICs). In this whitepaper, we will delve into the principles and implementation of AVS, exploring how it addresses the challenges posed by process variation and how it contributes to delivering a seamless user experience. Additionally, we will position AVS with other solutions like Dynamic Voltage Frequency Scaling (DVFS) to get a global picture. Understanding Process Variation and Corner Tightening In semiconductor manufacturing, process variation is an inevitable reality. Different process nodes, fabrication technologies, and foundries (GF, TSMC, SMIC and other) face variations in the manufacturing process, leading to performance discrepancies among individual devices. Silicon vendors provide models that describe the extreme operating conditions of each chip, allowing chipset designers to understand their performance boundaries. Those extreme operating condition are called Corner cases. You can find out more by downloading the white paper. Download White Paper
Dolphin Design enables Orca’s RF SoCs for direct-to-satellite communications
Dolphin Design announces today it has partnered with Orca Systems, a fabless semiconductor company for the development of ORC3990, a highly integrated wireless system-on-chip (SoC) to provide Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity over satellite and Orca’s new-generation RF SoC products. Orca’s wireless SoCs include a power management unit (PMU) based on Dolphin Design’s full suite of power management IPs tailored for ultra-low power applications such as Satellite IoT endpoint SoC and other power-sensitive SoC devices for direct-to-satellite and other industrial applications. Grenoble, France | August 1, 2023 – With the advantage of providing connectivity anywhere, the race for satellite IoT connectivity for everything from shipping container and pallet tracking to livestock tracking and smart agriculture is starting to heat up, but it requires meeting challenges around performance, power consumption, price, and size. Orca’s RF SoC integrates all required system functions, including RF transceiver, digital modem, CPUs, and power management, for satellite IoT connectivity in a small package that can operate with a couple of AA batteries for up to 10 years – a game-changing technology for satellite IoT connectivity. The RF SoCs contain fully integrated functions and, in particular, the power management unit (PMU) subsystem including all the analog blocks provided by Dolphin Design, such as a low-frequency crystal oscillator, a switching regulator, two linear regulators, an over-voltage protection module and, a combined power-on and power-off reset. Orca Systems RF SoC for satellite IoT application includes Dolphin Design’s Power Management IPs panoply(Credits: Orca Systems) “We are very pleased to embed Dolphin Design’s IPs inside our SoC product family, including ORC3990, the world’s first fully integrated solution for direct-to-satellite IoT connectivity,” said John McDonough, CEO of Orca Systems. “Our company partners closely with Dolphin Design for the well-known ultra-low-power IPs needed for the satellite industry and our SoC. Their expertise in power management empowers our SoC with the best-in-class low-power performance and This is just the beginning of a great adventure together.” “At Dolphin Design, our core expertise lies in power management and ultra-low power technologies, which are deeply ingrained in our company’s DNA,” said Hakim Jaafar VP of Marketing and Application at Dolphin Design. “We aim to provide the best solution to any energy-caring and challenging markets such as consumer and industrial IoT. The close and strong collaboration with ORCA was a mutual benefit for both companies leading to the success of Orca systems’ SoC products”. About Orca Systems Orca Systems is a champion of always live wireless connectivity, delivering a groundbreaking low-power digital RF transceiver portfolio for the exploding IoT semiconductor market. Patented Orca Live Wireless RF™ digital radio and digital power amplifier (DPA) technology provide ultra-low power consumption to extend the battery life of IoT devices. Silicon-proven Orca Live Wireless RF™ digital transceivers are available to select customers as IP cores, known good die (KGD), and packaged integrated circuits. IP cores are optimized for integration into SoC devices for the lowest cost, smallest silicon area, and lowest power IoT SoC products. Orca Systems is headquartered in San Diego, California, with an exceptional research and development center and state-of-the-art lab facility in Bangalore, India. About Dolphin Design Dolphin Design, a Soitec subsidiary, is a leading provider of semiconductor IP solutions, specializing in ASIC and IP design targeting markets such as Defense, Automotive, industrial, Personal electronics, and IoT. Dolphin Design cutting-edge technology IPs in AI computing, Power management, High-quality Audio, Power metering, and design safety/robustness, allow their thousand customers/partners to accelerate design cycles, foster faster time-to-market and build products/solutions that address the challenges of any industry and support a more sustainable world. With a customer-centric approach, Dolphin Design provides exceptional support for successful project outcomes. Media contacts: Charlotte Reverand Dolphin Design Communication Manager charlotte.reverand@dolphin.fr
