This sidebar to the article “One processor to rule them all?” offers a brief overview of the architectural differences among processor types including microcontrollers, DSPs, DSCs, FPGAs and ...

Microprocessor testing and self-test techniques constitute a critical domain in ensuring the reliability and performance of modern computing devices.

Once upon a time, though, the state of the art was much less capable; Intel’s first microprocessor, the 4004, was built on a humble 4-bit architecture with limited instructions.

The idea is to craft a streamlined microprocessor that works more efficiently by doing fewer things, and doing them better than conventional processors.