Microprocessors and microcontrollers have been with us for well over 40 years. Great advances in architecture and semiconductor processing have given us increasingly more power and versatility over the years. These processors range from the inexpensive 8-bit embedded controllers to the 32- and 64-bit monsters that clock at rates well beyond 4 Gb/s. Their generic programmable nature has made most modern electronic products possible. Yet, these devices continue to evolve to meet cutting-edge demands.
One major trend is to create specialized systems-on-chip (SoCs) with a processor base that’s been optimized for some particular market or specialty. Graphics processors are an example. These devices have also been identified as excellent machine-learning processors for AI applications.