• New SiFive Apex cores for mission-critical markets and SiFive Intelligence cores for vector processing workloads create a comprehensive IP portfolio for high-growth markets
SAN MATEO, Calif., Dec. 12, 2019 : SiFive, Inc., the leading provider of commercial RISC-V processor IP and silicon solutions, today announced two new leading-edge products: SiFive Apex for mission-critical processors and SiFive Intelligence processor cores for deep learning markets. Yunsup Lee, CTO of SiFive and co-inventor of the free and open RISC-V ISA, recently announced the new high-performance, efficient processor core generators, designed to create an unmatched portfolio of IP for markets that require functional correctness or the ability to process deep learning workloads. Recently, SiFive announced the world’s first RISC-V out-of-order superscalar processor core IP, SiFive U8-Series, and a whole SoC solution for security, SiFive Shield.
New SiFive Apex for Mission-Critical Solutions
The new SiFive Apex line of products employs an innovative new approach to processor core design for mission-critical workloads, based on formally verified core generators. SiFive Apex processor cores are generated using the open-source Kami methodology while retaining the SiFive key principle of parameterized cores configured to the needs of the customer. Using Kami, an open-source high-level parametric methodology for verification, SiFive will introduce a series of clean-sheet new design processor cores based on the RISC-V ISA to address a wide range of efficiency and performance requirements. SiFive Apex technology is designed to enable Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) optimized cores for mission-critical markets.
New SiFive Intelligence for Vector Processing Workloads
SiFive Intelligence technology is a series of processor core generators that enable high-performance compute workload support via vector processing. The RISC-V specification enables many extensions to permit the creation of central processing units that are both domain-specific and unified to the target workload needs. Leveraging the RISC-V Vector Extension (RVV), SiFive Intelligence processor cores enable configurable designs for markets from audio, speech or vision processing, to inference processing and machine learning. SiFive showed an average performance uplift of 9X vs traditional scalar processing on RISC-V processing, to demonstrate the benefit of SiFive Intelligence processor cores.
SiFive has had a tremendous year in 2019, and the introduction of SiFive Apex and SiFive Intelligence is the crowning achievement, said Dr. Naveed Sherwani, president and CEO of SiFive. SiFive’s broad suite of foundational technologies positions us well for continued growth and success next year as adoption of RISC-V advances.
Yunsup Lee Said, The announcement of SiFive Apex and SiFive Intelligence is a tipping point for SiFive. SiFive Apex’s innovation in functional correctness permits the creation of differentiated roadmaps without legacy cruft. SiFive Intelligence creates a new level of configurable, scalable CPU that is sorely needed for enabling machine learning and inference processors in AI markets.
