When it comes to ARM, MCU, DSP, FPGA, and SoC, many people are familiar with these terms, but do you really understand them? Do you know the connections and differences between these five technologies? Don’t worry, let’s explore this right now!
ARM
The ARM processor is the first RISC microprocessor designed by Acorn Computers for the low-budget market. Originally known as Acorn RISC Machine. The ARM processor is designed as a 32-bit architecture but also includes a 16-bit instruction set, generally saving up to 35% compared to equivalent 32-bit code while retaining all the advantages of a 32-bit system.
History of ARM:
On December 5, 1978, physicist Hermann Hauser and engineer Chris Curry founded the CPU company (Cambridge Processing Unit) in Cambridge, UK, primarily supplying electronic devices to the local market. In 1979, the CPU company was renamed Acorn Computers.
Initially, Acorn planned to use Motorola’s 16-bit chip but found it too slow and expensive. “A machine priced at £500 cannot use a CPU costing £100!” They turned to Intel for the design of the 80286 chip but were refused, forcing them to develop their own.
In 1985, Roger Wilson and Steve Furber designed their first generation 32-bit, 6 MHz processor, which was used to create a computer based on the RISC instruction set, abbreviated as ARM (Acorn RISC Machine). This is how the name ARM originated.
RISC stands for