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DAC 2021

DAC 2021
3D PCB

Using a GPU to Speed up PCB Layout Editing

I can remember back in the 1980s how Apollo workstations were quite popular, because they accelerated the graphics display time for EDA tools much better than competitive hardware. Fast forward to 2022 and we have the same promise of speeding up EDA tools like PCB layout editing by using a GPU. At the 58th DAC there was a session called, Accelerating EDA Algorithms with GPUs and Machine Learning, where Patrick Bernard and Anton Kryukov of Cadence presented.

Menta

DAC 2021 – Embedded FPGA IP from Menta

I’ve followed the enthusiastic market acceptance of FPGA chips over the decades, and even semiconductor companies like  Intel acquired Altera, while AMD tries to acquire Xilinx. The idea of field programmable logic makes a lot of sense for use in systems designs today, and it was inevitable that a company like Menta would offer both soft and hard IP for embedding an FPGA into an ASIC design. At the #58thDAC I met with Yoan Dupret, the Managing Director & CTO at Menta, who has also done stints at Altis Semiconductor, Infineon Technologies, CSR, Samsung and DelfMEMS.

Agnisys

DAC 2021 – What’s Up with Agnisys and Spec-driven IC Development

Walking the exhibit floors at DAC in December I spotted the familiar face of Anupam  Bakshi, Founder and CEO of Agnisys, so I stopped by the booth to get an update on his EDA company. My first question for him was about the origin of the company name, Agnisys, and I found at that Agni means Fire in Sanskrit, one of the five elements.

Cliosoft at #58thDAC

DAC 2021 – Cliosoft Overview

It’s been awhile since I really looked at what Cliosoft has to offer in the EDA tool space, so at the 58th DAC I stopped by their exhibit booth on Tuesday to visit with Karim Khalfan, VP of Application Engineering, and Simon Rance, VP of Marketing. Their booth had all of the hot market segments listed: Automotive, 5G, IoT, AI, Foundries.…

taming process variability in semiconductor IP

DAC 2021 – Taming Process Variability in Semiconductor IP

Tuesday at DAC was actually my very first time attending a technical session, and the presentation from Nebabie Kebebew, Siemens EDA, was called, Mitigating Variability Challenges of IPs for Robust Designs. There were three presentations scheduled for that particular Designer, IP and Embedded Systems track, but with the COVID…

Craig Johnson, Siemens EDA

DAC 2021 – Siemens EDA talks about using the Cloud

My third event at DAC on Monday was all about using EDA tools in the Cloud, and so I listened to Craig Johnson, VP EDA Cloud Solutions, Siemens EDA. Early in the day I heard from Joe Sawicki, Siemens EDA, on the topic of Digitalization.

FS WG

DAC 2021 – Accellera Panel all about Functional Safety Standards

Functional safety has been at the forefront of the electrification of our vehicles with new ADAS features, and the push to reach autonomous driving, while having compliance with the ISO 26262 functional safety standard. I attended the Accellera hosted panel discussion on Monday at DAC, hearing from functional safety panelists that work at AMD, Arm, Texas Instruments, and DARPA. Alessandra Nardi, Accellera Functional Safety Working Group Chair moderated the panel discussion, and started out with a big picture overview first.

Joe Sawicki

DAC 2021 – Joe Sawicki explains Digitalization

Monday at DAC this year started off on a very optimistic note as Joe Sawicki from Siemens EDA presented in the Pavilion on the topic of Digitalization, a frequent theme in the popular press because of the whole Work From Home transition that we’ve gone through during the pandemic. Several industries are benefiting from the digitalization trend: semiconductor, aerospace, defense, automotive, heavy machinery, medical, consumer products, energy, utilities and even marine.