PicoChip
picoChip is a venture-backed fabless semiconductor company, based in Bath, Somerset, founded in 2000.
The company has developed a multi-core Digital Signal Processor. This integrates 250-300 individual DSP cores onto a single die (depending on the specific product). Each of these cores is a 16-bit processor with Harvard architecture and 3-way LIW.
Other related multi-core architectures include Ambric, Aspex, Clearstream, Cradle, Stream and others. The more established DSP companies Texas Instruments and Freescale are also starting to do multi-core products, but at present with a lower number of processors.
Although the architecture is generic and could in principle be used for any application, the company has stated its strategy is to focus on wireless infrastructure. In particular, the processor is widely used for WiMAX basetations and for femtocells.
External links
www.picochip.com
--Rupert baines 14:13, 17 May 2007 (UTC)