ARM udvikler ultra-lavenergi 32-bit processor

ARM har afsløret deres nyeste 32-bit processor, baseret på Flycatcher arkitekturen. Flycather er designet til at fylde 1×1 mm, og have et ultralavt strømforbrug. ARM skriver, at Flycatcher kan køre i årevis på et batteri. Derudover er Flycatcher sammen med deres nye arkitektur Cortex –M0+ designet til at kunne indbygges i køleskabe, vaskemaskiner, radiatorer og andre husholdningsapparater, således at man via internettet kan tjekke køleskabet, starte sin kaffemaskine eller skrue op for varmen. Dette kaldes også ”Internet of things”.

Gary Atkinson fra ARM udtaler, at de håber den nye processor kan være med til at sænke det stigende elforbrug, der kommer med den øgede mængde forbrugerelektronik.

Gary Atkinson, ARM skrev:

Every developed nation country has a graph showing electricity demand is going to outstrip supply at some point in the next 20 years unless we do something different. If the wider electricity network is being very heavily used and if the element in your dishwasher could go off for two or three minutes to alleviate that – well then that would make a big difference.

ARM har allerede licenseret deres teknologi til to chipproducenter, Freescale og NXP Semiconductors. Geoff Lees fra Freescale noterer blandt andet det store marked, hvor den nye processor har sin berettigelse.

Geoff Lees, Freescale skrev:

It opens up all devices to the potential of being connected all the time. It’s allowing us to provide connectivity everywhere. So anything from consumer appliances, MP3-music audio docks, kitchen equipment with displays right through to remote sensors in rain monitoring equipment or personal medical devices – an area where ultra-long battery life allied to high performance and safety is becoming more and more important.