Imagination Technologies has announced its first real-time embedded RISC-V CPU.
Called IMG RTXM-2200, the 32bit core is aimed at SoCs for networking, packet management, storage controllers, sensor management for AI cameras and smart metering, according to the company, which has revealed little more.
Up to 128kbyte tightly coupled memory (instruction and data) can be provide for deterministic response, and Level 1 cache can also be up to 128kbyte.
Single-precision floating-point and bfloat16 is available – “the latter enables manufacturers to deploy AI applications through this core without the need for an additional chip”, according to the company.
Update: Imagination responded to Electronics Weekly’s request for more information:
IMG RTXM-2200 has instruction pre-fetch, branch prediction and also parallel execution for load/store, MAC [multiple/accumulate], instructions involving shift, division and floating point operations.
We are ahead of where we expected to be on benchmarks already, and confident it will be competitive. Typical frequency is 1.8GHz at 7nm.
This is our first core and our focus was on something rock solid, verified and easy to deploy for the customer, complete with software. The cores are scheduled for lead partner access in Q3 of 2022.
The associated software design kit and tools package is available at launch. “IMG RTXM-2200 RISC-V CPU brings together years of IP design experience and comprehensive software support to enable instant and easy access for developers,” said Imagination computing v-P Shreyas Derashri.
The company singles out its Catapult Studio IDE (integrated development environment), based on Visual Studio, amongst these tools. It runs on Windows, Ubuntu, CentOS or macOS as well as offering Linux support including reference boot-loaders, a kernel and a filesystem. It is compatible with gem5 software for simulation.
The RTXM-2200 product page can be found here, but provides little public information
