De-RISC builds upon two key central technologies: the NOEL-V based SoC by Cobham Gaisler and the XtratuM hypervisor and related software components by fentISS. However, additional differentiating technology has been integrated into the SoC: the SafeSU statistics unit from the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC). The SafeSU provides key features for the timing verification and validation, as well as for the implementation of safety measures in safety-related real-time space and avionics systems. In this context, BSC is working towards disseminating and exploring exploitation opportunities beyond De-RISC for the SafeSU as a third exploitable item in the project.
On the 9th of June, BSC presented its hardware components in an invited talk from Collins Aerospace with an audience of around 20 experts in avionics systems. Several components, all of them being assessed together with Gaisler’s SoC, were presented, with a central role given to the SafeSU, which is the most mature component since it is currently under validation as part of De-RISC SoC. Such presentation to an industrial audience complements the more academic one given recently in May as part of the 24th European Test Conference.
BSC aims to leverage exploitation opportunities for the SafeSU in commercial SoCs, as done as part of De-RISC, and offer this component as an open source item with an industrially-friendly license such as MIT. This initiative aims at fostering collaboration opportunities with the space and avionics industry in the growing market of RISC-V technology in these segments.