Trusted Arm Processors with Digital Signal Processing
As homes become smarter and appliance interfaces become more human-like, devices must be able to bridge the analog and digital worlds. This is driving more on-device processing than ever before, with advanced sensing, compute, and scalability across many applications—from voice to audio to sensor hubs to machine learning (ML).
Whether multi-sensor devices need dedicated digital signal processing (DSP) hardware or not, Arm and partners offer a step-change increase in on-device processing capability. This allows companies to innovate broadly and scale their product while meeting a wide range of requirements and applications.
The DSP extensions in Arm CPUs make DSP functionality accessible regardless of expertise. With efficient control code and high-performance DSP in a single processor, designers can reduce cost, area, and complexity, without compromising performance.
Features and Benefits
Arm DSP extensions provide significant cost savings and resource requirements by replacing two processors with one. Signal processing is built into the processor so there is no need to add a dedicated DSP and learn a new unique DSP programming language.
DSP extensions reduce system-level complexity by removing the need for shared DSP communication, complex multiprocessor bus architectures, and other custom ‘glue’ logic between the processor and DSP.
By using DSP extensions in a single processor, analog functions can be implemented in the digital domain. This reduces the bill of material (BOM) costs and design cycle time and increases engineering flexibility.
Digital Signal Processing Solutions
Arm DSP instruction set extensions increase the DSP processing capability of Arm solutions in high-performance applications, while offering the low-power consumption required by portable, battery-powered devices.
Due to their flexibility, Arm DSP instructions touch a wide range of applications and industries. Take your smart assistant at home as an example: you say a command, and it recognizes your voice, processes what you’re saying and responds. This is an example of a multi-sensor device that requires signal processing.
Learn more about Arm's Cortex processor families for signal processing applications and how a DSP ecosystem partner, Alango Technologies supports Arm technology by providing DSP algorithms and software enhancements to improve the quality of voice communication and audio experience in a variety of applications.
Explore How to Use DSP Extensions in Cortex Processors
Digital Signal Processing for Cortex-A
Arm Neon technology is an advanced Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) architecture extension used to accelerate signal processing algorithms and functions.
Digital Signal Processing for Cortex-R
The Cortex-R processor instruction set includes enhanced DSP instructions to support improved execution performance for arithmetic operations.
Digital Signal Processing for Cortex-M
Cortex-M processors with DSP provide a high level of signal processing and integer performance, while maintaining energy-efficiency and ease-of-use.
Getting Started
Explore resources and documentation and start developing with Arm’s DSP solutions.
Talk with an Expert
Arm technology powers a wide range of DSP applications. Talk to an Arm expert about how Arm DSP technology can help you.
Case Studies
See how our DSP partners are using Arm technology to develop innovative products.
Explore More DSP Technologies
CMSIS-DSP
The CMSIS -DSP library is a rich collection of DSP functions optimized for Cortex-M processors. The free library enables optimized C code generation from various third-party tools.
Arm Helium Technology
Arm Helium technology is the M-Profile Vector Extension (MVE) for the Arm Cortex-M series. Helium is an extension of the Armv8.1-M architecture and delivers a significant performance uplift for DSP applications.
Arm Neon Technology
Neon technology is an advanced SIMD architecture extension for the Arm Cortex-A and Cortex-R series processors. The architecture extension improves the multimedia user experience across many applications.