OpenHW Group Releases Dev Kit Based on RISC-V-Based CORE-V MCU

July 01, 2022

Blog

Based on its shiny new RISC-V MCU that’s now ready for prime time, the OpenHW Group is releasing a development kit so developers can get started on their “open hardware” projects, particularly those that want to connect to the IoT.

The dev kit will jump start designs looking to making use of AI/ML, thanks to the inclusion of includes QuickLogic’s eFPGA on the MCU.

Dubbed the OpenHW CORE-V MCU, the part is based on the open-source CV32E40P embedded-class processor, a small, efficient, 32-bit, in-order open-source RISC-V core with a four-stage pipeline that implements the RV32IM[F]C RISC-V instruction extensions. The MCU is manufactured by GlobalFoundries in its proprietary 22FDX process technology platform. A host of people were involved in its design, including those Imperas, Siemens EDA, and SiLabs.

The development kit is bundled with the CORE-V SDK, which operates within the Eclipse IDE. It also adds a debugger, a GCC compiler (supplied by Embecosm), and the FreeRTOS real-time operating system. It features an open PCB design that supports Amazon Web Services (AWS) using the AWS IoT ExpressLink, a service that powers lots of hardware modules and includes AWS-validated software that securely connects devices to the cloud.

Bear in mind that the charter of the OpenHW Group is to develop, verify, and provide open-source processor cores, along with the necessary hardware and software that would eventually lead to high-volume SoC production.