Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1098973
76 SMT007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2019 Feature Interview by Nolan Johnson I-CONNECT007 While roaming the aisles of CES, I happened across a suite hosted by Cadence Design Systems. It wasn't a booth—just a quiet pres- ence behind walls with demonstration hard- ware inside. The Cadence staff was friendly and welcoming, and it didn't take long before I was talking with Vic Markarian—senior group director for worldwide IP licensing and sales— about why Cadence was at CES. Nolan Johnson: Vic Markarian, we're talking about why Cadence is here at CES. Other CAD tool companies don't see this show as being of value, and yet you're here. Vic Markarian: Our presence at CES is to repre- sent Cadence's Tensilica product line, which Cadence acquired back in 2013. Tensilica develops a processor IP technology, which is very unique in the industry. Unlike other processor technology, which involves fixed- configuration cores, we developed a technol- ogy that allows our customers to configure the processor and extend the instruction set with their own custom instructions and inter- faces. With our technology, one can create applica- tion-specific processors, including everything from a small state machine to a programma- ble engine, high-end DSP, or even an appli- cation-specific programmable function inside their SOC. The reason we are here at CES is that many of our customers who utilize our technology are showcasing their latest, most advanced products at the show, including items displayed here from Huawei to LG phones and many other devices on the floor. In 2017, our customers shipped over five billion cores, and I think that number will be closer to 10 billion cores in 2018. And the volumes continue to ramp up as the adop- tion of our technology accelerates with lead- ing companies that you see exhibiting here at CES. If you walk around the show, you'll see tons of Tensilica-based products that have been shipped, introduced, and/or targeted for introduction. Cadence Design Systems Takes Their Tensilica Product to the CES Show Floor