As I look around, I see data being analyzed everywhere. It seems there has never been a time where growth for more compute power has been so rapid. My observations are validated by the news from our DSP marketing and sales teams as they share the compelling new applications that our customers are developing with TI DSPs. From video analytics, high performance computing and machine vision implementations, algorithms are being crunched, images are being analyzed, and information is being processed on DSPs. I find it equally interesting to see the range of DSP configurations being used in these applications; from single core, low power devices in biometric solutions, to multicore DSP chips computing gigaflops per second, to application specific DSP based SoCs processing wireless communications.
I am reminded of former TI principal fellow Gene Frantz, who often shared his pleasure in the discovery of cool new apps that are implemented with a DSP. I am prompted to share Gene’s recent LinkedIn response post on a semiwiki thread regarding the history of the DSP. As one of the creators of the DSP, Gene answered some DSP history facts posed by others on the thread, including its invention at TI more than 30 years ago. He notes the DSP was initially used for voice processing and it quickly evolved into a generic device for the broader digital signal processing applications. Gene points out that in addition to the dedicated chips; the TI DSP has been incorporated into application specific devices such as cell phones, modems, and hard disk drives, as well as part of the IP in proprietary OEM solutions designed by TI.
The point here is that TI has been at the forefront of this evolution and we’re not done innovating. As more and more data is collected and shared daily, the need to process and analyze or do something with this data is increasing. The fact is all of this computation is done best using a DSP.
It is very exciting to see all of the new applications for DSPs, as well as to watch the evolution of the DSP in its various form factors. What is your favorite use of a DSP?
