Colombia-based semiconductor specialist OnChip has announced a 32-bit RISC-V microcontroller design aimed at low-power sensor applications, developed in partnership with SiFive.
Fresh from announcing the next generation of Itsy-Chipsy, the company’s low-quantity semiconductor fabrication platform which aims to allow the creation of single-unit DIP-packaged chips for around $100, OnChip has shown off the design of a new microcontroller part based on a 32-bit implementation of the RISC-V instruction set architecture and positioned firmly at the low-power sensor market.
“Thrilled to announce a 32-bit MCU, RISC-V based, with low-power always-on peripheral enabling low power sensor applications for open-source silicon,” the company wrote in its announcement on social networking site Twitter. “Have a good trip Open-V, our most recent work with SiFive has been sent to fab.”
An image accompanying the announcement, reproduced above, shows a part featuring a true random number generator, 12 and 10 bit digital to analogue (DAC) and analogue to digital converters (ADC), and a brownout detector for save use in low-power and unreliable-power situations.
Part of the company’s Open-V project, about which more information is available on the company’s website, the OnChip-SiFive collaboration does not yet have a release date.
Gareth Halfacree is a technology journalist and technical author best known for his work on the Raspberry Pi User Guide and an upcoming book covering the BBC’s micro:bit project. A keen open source advocate and RISC-V fan, Gareth is responsible for curating our fortnightly community round-up posts.