IP enables chip for AI applications to achieve dynamic power saving of greater than 40%

SureCore has enabled KU Leuven to develop a neural processing accelerator chip for AI applications that delivers dynamic power savings of over 40% compared to solutions using the industry standard SRAM. Already demonstrated in more mature nodes, the 16nm FinFET variant of sureCore’s PowerMiser IP includes the company’s market-leading power-saving technologies to deliver world-class results.

Paul Wells, CEO at sureCore, says: “We are delighted to hear that the team at KU Leuven has achieved significant improvements with our ground-breaking PowerMiser SRAM IP, which we created to deliver unparalleled dynamic and static power performance.”

PowerMiser is a low-power SRAM IP developed for leading-edge devices requiring high computational loads when active and minimal operating and standby power consumption. It can lower dynamic power by up to 50% and static/leakage power by up to 20% compared to foundry and other SRAM solutions, with savings across the full process, voltage and temperature range.

Wells continues: “People forget that the initial drivers for the 16nm node were mobile and HPC solutions, and hence most of the IP developed for this node was optimised for performance, not power. Today, 16nm could almost be considered a mature node with millions of devices in the field. Forward-thinking application developers are now looking to exploit this node’s improved density, leakage and power characteristics, especially for wearables, medical and Edge-AI devices. This is where our PowerMiser SRAM can bring huge benefits by enabling challenging power budgets to be delivered.”

Professor Wim Dehaene at KU Leuven (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) comments: “We licensed sureCore’s PowerMiser IP because we wanted to create a novel neural processing accelerator chip for AI applications. The chip has very high computational processing needs, and, of course, such devices naturally also have significant power consumption characteristics. We were very impressed that the sureCore solution could go so far in terms of power savings.”

PowerMiser is available in 28nm, 22nm and 16nm process nodes, and later this year the company plans to release a 7nm variant.