Raspberrry Pi Teams with Dolphin Design for More Power-Efficient Chips

Future Raspberry Pi devices could make strides in energy efficiency, thanks to a partnership with Dolphin Design on new power management capabilities — to be implemented on Taiwan Semiconductor's (TSMC's) 40nm process node, providing a hint as to exactly where they will be found.

"We are excited to work with Dolphin Design to bring forward chips that not only meet the high standards of performance and reliability expected by our users, but also push the boundaries of power efficiency," says Raspberry Pi's chief technology officer James Adams. "This partnership is a testament to our commitment to innovation and our belief in the power of collaboration."

"Our collaboration with Raspberry Pi marks a pivotal moment in semiconductor innovation," adds Dolphin Design's Hakim Jaafar of the team-up. "By integrating our advanced power management solutions with Raspberry Pi's visionary chip design, we are setting a new benchmark for what’s possible in technology tailored for efficiency and sustainability."

Soitec subsidiary Dolphin Design specialises in intellectual property (IP) blocks, to be added to application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) designed by its customers. As a result, the deal between the two companies is unlikely to involve a replacement for the dedicated power-management integrated circuit (ASIC) found on-board the Raspberry Pi 5.

Instead, Dolphin Design will provide IP blocks that Raspberry Pi can integrate into its own chip designs. The announcement that these blocks will be used in designs based on TSMC's 40nm process node suggests that it will make an appearance not in the main system-on-chip but in either support chips like the Raspberry Pi 5's RP1 or microcontrollers like a successor to the RP2040. In either case, Dolphin promises improved power efficiency without sacrificing performance.

Raspberry Pi has yet to announce any ASIC projects involving Dolphin Design IP.