ISRO and Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) of Chandigarh have developed 32-bit microprocessors VIKRAM3201 & KALPANA3201 for space applications.
- VIKRAM3201 is the first fully “Make-in-India” 32-bit microprocessor for use in the harsh environmental conditions of launch vehicles.
About Microprocessor
- A small electronic chip that functions as the brain of a computer or any other electronic system.
- It performs central processing tasks such as arithmetic operations, logic decisions, and data handling in digital systems.
- A multipurpose, programmable, clock-driven, register-based electronic device.
- Role of a Microprocessor
- Reads binary instructions from a storage called memory.
- Accepts binary data as input, processes data, and provides results as output.
Basic Functions of a Microprocessor
- Processing Data: Processes incoming data by performing operations like addition, subtraction, and comparison.
- Control Unit: Directs the operations of the system by interpreting and executing instructions from the memory.
- Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU): Performs mathematical calculations and logical operations.
- Data Movement: Moves data between registers, memory, and input/output devices.
Types of Microprocessors
- 8-bit Microprocessors: Can handle 8 bits of data at a time.
- 16-bit Microprocessors: Can handle 16 bits of data at a time.
- 32-bit Microprocessors: Can handle 32 bits of data at a time, more powerful and efficient.
- 64-bit Microprocessors: Modern processors capable of handling 64 bits of data. They offer enhanced performance and larger memory support.
Importance of Microprocessors in Modern Technology
- Computers & Laptops: Primary component enabling the processing and control functions in computers and laptops.
- Smartphones: ARM-based microprocessors are used in most smartphones due to their power efficiency and high performance.
- Embedded Systems: Used in consumer electronics, automotive systems, home appliances, and industrial equipment to enable control and processing tasks.
- Internet of Things (IoT): Integral to smart devices, enabling communication, data processing, and connectivity.
Microprocessors in Space Applications
- Reliability: Microprocessors for space missions must be highly reliable and capable of withstanding extreme environmental conditions like radiation, temperature fluctuations, and physical shock.
- Space Missions: Microprocessors like VIKRAM3201 (developed by ISRO) are used in space vehicles for navigation, guidance, and control.
About Microprocessor Development Programme (MDP)
- It is initiated and funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Govt. of India
- Mission objective: To design and develop indigenously, a family of Microprocessors, related IPs and the complete ecosystem to enable fully indigenous product development that meets various requirements in the strategic, industrial and commercial sectors.
- Under MDP:
- 32-bit/ 64-bit SHAKTI Processor designed by IIT Madras and fabricated using 180nm, SCL Mohali and 22nm, Intel foundry.
- 64-bit Single/ Dual/ Quad-Core variants of VEGA processors have been designed by C-DAC and sent for fabrication at 130nm Silterra foundry and 180nm SCL foundry.
- The 64-bit Quad-Core AJIT processor is being designed by IIT Bombay.
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About VIKRAM3201 & KALPANA3201
VIKRAM3201
- India’s first fully indigenous 32-bit space microprocessor.
- Fabricated at CMOS Semiconductor Fab at SCL, Chandigarh.
- Successor to VIKRAM1601 (16-bit processor used in ISRO’s Avionics since 2009).
- Custom Features:
- Floating-point computation capability.
- Supports Ada programming language (compiler, assembler, linker, simulator developed in-house by ISRO).
- Space Validation:
- Successfully tested in the Mission Management Computer of PSLV-C60 mission (POEM-4 module).
- Significance:
- First-of-its-kind in India, promoting Atmanirbhar Bharat in high-reliability microprocessors for space applications.
- Used in navigation, guidance, and control of launch vehicles.
KALPANA3201
- 32-bit SPARC V8 RISC microprocessor.
- Based on IEEE 1754 Instruction Set Architecture (Most common standard for representing floating-point numbers is IEEE 754).
- Designed for compatibility with open-source software toolsets.
- Tested with flight software.
Floating Point Computation
- Refers to the ability of a system (like a microprocessor) to perform mathematical operations on real numbers that may be very large, very small, or involve decimals.
- Floating-point numbers: Represented with a decimal point that “floats” relative to the significant digits of the number.
- Allows computers to handle a much broader range of values compared to fixed-point representation, which can only handle integers or numbers with a limited range.
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