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8 November 2014 | Unmanned Systems Technology Platform one A new microcontroller core has been unveiled to allow software developers to build more complex machine intelligence and autonomous systems. Designed from the ground up for signal processing applications, the ARM Cortex-M7 is said to double the performance of the company’s existing M4 controller and is aimed at applications such as image processing. For autonomous systems such as quadcopters the increased performance will provide better GPS, drive more motors and provide greater stability, according to ARM. The M7 has a six-stage, 32-bit pipeline for executing instructions, but adds more infrastructure to ensure that any potential delays are the same as with the previous M4 generation and yet provide twice the performance, at 5 CoreMarks/MHz. To do this, it uses a 64-bit bus to keep the pipeline filled, and the execution unit is designed to handle two independent load instructions per cycle. The core will run at 400 MHz in a 40 nm low-power process, providing 2000 CoreMarks. The higher performance of the M7 now overlaps that of the Cortex R series of processor cores, which are aimed at Materion’s Jason Clune reports that his company is supplying beryllium-based alloys to the UAV market. In the past Materion has worked with a high level engine manufacturer to look at the potential of aluminium- beryllium pistons for a UAV internal combustion engine. Not only have aluminium-beryllium pistons been proven in other demanding applications, Clune told us that they have been used to permit a naturally aspirated, 2.2 litre, four-cylinder roadcar engine to run super lean, at the benefit of a 6% improvement in brake-specific fuel consumption.  “You could probably obtain a 12% improvement using pure beryllium pistons,” remarked Clune. He said though that the UAV piston project is currently on hold, awaiting a customer. “Aluminium-beryllium is comparatively expensive,” Clune conceded, “but it could provide the basis for extended flight times as well as extended engine life. If you carry out a lifecycle analysis, you can find that aluminium-beryllium is a winning and cost-effective alternative.” safety-critical applications, but devices based on the R series are intended more for supporting multiple operating systems such as an RTOS and a rich operating system such as Android. An optional safety package and built-in fault detection contribute towards ASIL D and SIL 3 compliance so that the M7 can be used in safety-related markets including automotive, industrial, transport and medical applications. The early silicon suppliers are ST Microelectronics, Freescale Semiconductors and Atmel, with the first series of devices based on the M7 core already available from ST. Boost for signal processing A place for beryllium in UAV engines? Control systems Materials The Cortex-M7 will allow more complex machine intelligence and autonomous systems to be built