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Acura, part of HID, Collaborates with Von Braun Labs and #Data to Develop a RISC-V Based ASIC for Access Control and Free-Flow Tolling

By September 28, 2023No Comments

By: Dario Sassi Thober, thober@vonbraunlabs.com.br & Rafael Vidal Aroca, aroca@vonbraunlabs.com.br

São Paulo, September 26th, 2023

Today’s global landscape is saturated with access control systems. Acura, part of HID, is joining forces with von Braun Labs to engineer a novel semiconductor chip for this market segment. The project, rooted entirely in Brazil, will leverage the #Data ChipInventor EDA Platform and Manufacturing tools. The goal is to design a RISC-V compatible microprocessor, aiming to substantially decrease the costs associated with implementing concurrent technological platforms in Electronic Toll Collection and Access Control across varied applications.

The initial rollout for this solution will cater to Free-Flow / Open-Road Tolling initiatives, setting a global benchmark for Service Operators, Systems Integrators, and Infrastructure Companies in the Transportation and Mobility domains.

ChipInventor, a cloud-based semiconductor design tool, utilizes the unique #Data visual language. This enables chip design through a collaborative, block-based visual methodology. Beyond facilitating swift and efficient online semiconductor design – from rudimentary ASICs to comprehensive processors, like RISC-V microprocessors – ChipInventor also supports simulation, FPGA board prototyping, and final file synthesis for chip manufacturing. The platform is bundled with user-friendly compilers and toolchains for RISC-V device software development, making it an ideal choice for both professionals and newcomers. It’s also well-suited for semiconductor training programs.

The RISC-V ISA provides a stable foundation for such products, its open standard nature showcasing its reliability for emerging embedded initiatives.

About the Collaborators:

Acura: part of HID, a world leader in IoT, Mobility and Identification Technologies, is a leading manufacturer of RFID products, primarily targeting enterprise, industrial, logistics, transportation, retail, oil, mining, steel, among other verticals,  for large-scale customers through a net of qualified partners and system integrators.

#Data: A Brazilian enterprise at the forefront of semiconductor services, offering unique solutions like “Semiconductor as a Service.” Notably, #Data is the sole Brazilian firm affiliated with RISC-V International as a strategic member and emerged from von Braun Labs.

Wernher Von Braun Labs for Advanced Research: A distinguished non-profit private entity, von Braun Labs provides top-tier R&D and innovation services to businesses and governmental institutions. With a reputation for driving impactful outcomes in areas such as IoT, mobility, semiconductor design, cloud systems, and more, they are recognized members of EMBRAPII (Brazilian Company of Research and Industrial Innovation). Wernher Von Braun Labs is a RISC-V International community member.