KING OF THE CHIP IS NO MORE

DailyPost 2372
KING OF THE CHIP IS NO MORE

Moore’s law is the thread that enmeshes our modern life and it consistent progress over the last 50 years. The man behind the law, Gordon Moore, one on the founders of Intel is no more. He can be called as one of the founding fathers of the Silicon Valley and digital revolution that engulfed the world, transforming it into a digital world. A visionary like no other. Robert Moore started working on semiconductors in the 1950s. The prophecy of that semiconductor technology leap and it turning out to be true, is behind the PC revolution, that paved the way for everything else, and for the creation of the companies of likes of Apple, Facebook and Google.

Two decades before the computer revolution began, Moore wrote about the role of integrated chips as “to such wonders as home computers – or at least terminals connected to a central computer – automatic controls for automobiles, and personal portable communications equipment”. This tech vision is at the core of Moore’s Law. In a 1965 article, he said because of technological improvements the number of  transistors on microchips had roughly doubled every year since the invention of integrated circuits. Incidentally, the integrated chips were invented only a few years earlier. His prediction that it would continue became known as Moore’s Law. He said it would continue for another 10 years.

Prophetic as it was, in 1975, he revised the forecast rate to every two years. After Moore’s article getting published, memory chips moved on an exponential trajectory of becoming more efficient and simultaneously being less expensive. The prediction become a target for miniaturisation. Fast forward to today’s world, the impact is crystal clear, the disruption of semiconductor supply chain because of the pandemic put the world in an economic jeopardy. Nations are battling it out in the fear of facing that eventuality again. Geography of production matters. On the fab side TSMC takes the lead and it is making the world move to 5nm and 3nm chips, revolutionizing the sectors / tasks concerned.

As we move to the ML and AI world, its importance cannot be more emphasized, specialized chips taking care of super specialized complex functions, which world wants on the platter. Might be this is the only dynamic scientific law, a law which has both drove the industry and also chronicled its growth for over half a century. ”This powerful technology has allowed us to make more and more complex and high performing circuits. They’re the basis of everything electronic we have, unprecedented in human history.” A history of tech which we all need to know, which has served mankind in a manner unimaginable and continues to do so.

GORDON MOORE IS NO MORE. HIS LEGACY IS THE CHIP OF LIFE FOR MANKIND.
Sanjay Sahay

Have a nice evening.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

Scroll to Top