It can take years for a CPU to go from design to chip, so Arm is helping developers make the leap by putting virtual models of its chip designs in the cloud. Virtual models will allow developers to write and test applications before the actual chips ship.
The project, called Arm Total Solutions for IoT, is a full-stack solution for IoT applications and use cases. Early access for developers, OEMs and service providers, along with shortened product design cycles, can accelerate deployment by up to two years, Arm said.
Arm doesn’t make chips like Intel and AMD do. It designs and licenses for more than 800 OEMs responsible for everything from embedded devices to servers. Once Arm releases a basic chip design to partners, the partners add their own IP to differentiate themselves from the competition, which takes time.
IoT services are built on Arm Cornerstone, the fundamental subsystem of Arm processor designs used to start building applications. The cloud-based service, called Arm Virtual Hardware, provides virtual models of Cornerstone subsystems to enable software development without the need for physical chips.
Mohamed Awad, vice president of Arm’s IoT and embedded business, said on the conference call: “On the overall IoT solution, [we] shortened the typical IoT product development timeline from 5 years to 3 years.”
Arm virtual hardware is available on AWS Marketplace and uses agile software development methodologies such as continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD), DevOps and MLOps to IoT platforms.
“We’re optimizing and simplifying technology designed for modern cloud development. That means we’re putting technology into the hands of millions of software developers who haven’t been able to access it before,” Awad said.
Awad said Amazon uses Arm virtual hardware to test Alexa functionality. “By eliminating physical hardware dependencies, they are able to accelerate updates and leverage cloud-based CI/CD and its support for more than 150 different Alexa devices,” he said.
Centauri project provides reference design
Arm is also encouraging IoT design standardization with the launch of Project Centauri, which provides device and platform standards and reference implementations for device enablement, security and cloud integration for the Cortex-M SoC product line.
Arm has a similar project called Project Cassini for its Cortex-A processors. Cortex-A is Arm’s high-end product line and is used for servers and AI/heavy computing tasks, while Cortex-M is used for lower power, less complex applications.
The Centauri Project API includes support for PSA Certified and Open-CMSIS-CDI, which are open standards for cloud-to-device communication so different cloud solutions can easily interact.