The Embedded Microprocessor Benchmark Consortium (EEMBC) is adding energy consumption metrics to its “application-focused” benchmarks for embedded processors. Two new working groups will establish required methodologies: one will focus on energy measurement benchmarks for hardware platforms and devices; the other will define simulation-based benchmarks for intellectual property (IP) processor cores.

Many processor vendors offer “typical” energy consumption specifications on product datasheets that are difficult to compare with one another, the consortium says. The problem of interpreting these values is exacerbated when designers attempt to compare processor cores for system-on-chip implementations.

Besides providing design engineers with comparable information regarding energy consumption, the new metric will give designers insights into the “cost” of a device's performance in terms of the power budget by allowing a performance/energy number to be derived using the consolidated performance score in each benchmark suite, the consortium adds. For example, it will be possible to calculate a “Netmarks per Joule” score for devices tested against EEMBC's networking benchmarks, or a “Telemarks per Joule” score for devices tested against the consortium's telecomm benchmarks.

The consortium has engaged the services of David Kaeli, associate professor in Northeastern University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of its Computer Architecture Research Laboratory, to guide its energy benchmark developments. Kevin Kranen, director of strategic programs at Synopsys, has also been actively involved in this process, the consortium says.

EEMBC says that its members have agreed that the energy metric will be an optional component of the performance benchmark scores published for each processor and will take into account the energy consumed by the benchmarked devices while running each of the consortium's application-focused benchmark suites. Once the standardized methods are finalized, the details of how EEMBC measures energy consumption will be available for download from www.eembc.org.

 
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