Microchip Technology Enters 64-bit Microprocessor Market: A Game-Changer in Embedded Solutions
Microchip Technology Inc. has made a significant leap forward in the embedded solutions market with the launch of our PIC64-GX microprocessor (MPU) family. This introduction marks Microchip as the only company actively investing in a full range of 8-, 16-, 32- and now 64-bit microprocessors, positioning ourselves as a single-vendor solution for a wide array of applications.
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Meeting the Demands of Modern Applications
As embedded systems continue to evolve, real-time and compute-intensive applications such as smart embedded vision and machine learning demand more power-efficiency, hardware-level security and high reliability at the edge. The new 64-bit PIC64 family addresses these requirements, offering a robust solution for various markets, from commercial to space applications.
Key Features and Innovations
The PIC64-GX MPU family stands out with several key features designed to enhance performance and security:
Advanced Processing Capabilities: The PIC64-GX MPUs feature a 64-bit RISC-V quad-core processor with Asymmetric Multi-Processing (AMP), capable of running Linux®, real-time OS and bare-metal in a single processor cluster. This makes it ideal for mid-range intelligent edge computing needs.
High Security and Reliability: Athena F5200 TeraFire Crypto Processor; Cryptography Research Incorporated (CRI)-patented differential power analysis (DPA) protection; integrated dual Physically Unclonable Function (PUF), 56 Kbytes of secure, non-volatile memory; built-in tamper detectors; and digest integrity check for sNVM, and eNVM.
Wide Range of Applications: These MPUs are designed to serve industrial, automotive, communications, IoT, aerospace and defense segments, making them versatile for various high-demand applications.
Support for Multiple Operating Systems: The PIC64-GX family supports a wide range of operating systems, build systems and drivers/middleware, and is backed by both open-source and commercial tools.
 Figure 1: PIC64-GX Block Diagram |
Expanding Into New Frontiers
Our launch also includes the PIC64-HPSC (High-Performance Spaceflight Computing) family, aimed at aerospace and defense applications. These space-grade, 64-bit multicore RISC-V MPUs are designed to deliver over 100 times the computing performance of previous models while maintaining high levels of radiation and fault tolerance.
