Context: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have developed an indigenous aerospace quality Shakti-based semiconductor chip.
Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Key facts about IRIS; RISC-V.
About Shakti-based Semiconductor Chip
- The chip is named IRIS (Indigenous RISC-V Controller for Space Applications).
- It is based on the SHAKTI microprocessor and is part of India’s push for self-reliance in semiconductor technology.
- SHAKTI systems use RISC-V (an open-source processor technology) and are supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under the ‘Digital India RISC-V’ (DIRV) initiative.
- The DIRV initiative aims to promote indigenous development of microprocessor-based products that offer best-in-class security and visibility for users adopting RISC-V technology.
- This is the third SHAKTI chip successfully fabricated in India after RIMO in 2018 and MOUSHIK in 2020.
- The two chips built earlier (RIMO & MOUSHIK) were technology demonstrators and not fully optimised for performance and error correction.
- Utility: IRIS can be used for applications on launch vehicles, ground stations and Internet of Things (IoT) and industrial IoT applications.
Key features of IRIS Chip:
- Developed to support ISRO’s command and control systems and other critical functions.
- Designed for fault tolerance and reliability, making it suitable for space missions.
- Includes custom modules like watchdog timers and advanced serial buses.
- Can be expanded for future missions through multiple boot modes and hybrid memory extensions.
- Fully Made in India.
Significance:
- IRIS marks a milestone in the Make in India efforts in semiconductor design and fabrication.
- The development will indigenise semiconductors used by ISRO for its applications, aligning with self-reliance in space technologies.
About RISC-V
- RISC-V is an open standard Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) based on established RISC principles. Each computer hardware will support a particular ISA.
- Unlike most other ISA designs, RISC-V is provided under open-source licenses that do not require fees to use.
- RISC-V can be extended or customised for a variety of hardware or application requirements.
- India has developed two series of microprocessors:
- SHAKTI series of microprocessors by IIT Madras.
- VEGA microprocessors by C-DAC.