Date: 28/11/2023

IAR provides full tool support for Renesas RA8 series to enable AI and ML development

IAR Embedded Workbench for Arm is fully equipped to assist pioneers of the Renesas RA8 Series MCUs, which are the first to incorporate the Arm Cortex-M85 processor along with Arm's Helium technology
Key Highlights:
Cutting-edge support:IAR’s Embedded Workbench nowempowers developers to harness thecapabilities of the Renesas RA8 MCUs, powered by theArm Cortex-M85 processor featuring Arm’s Helium technology.
Enhanced Security:The Pointer Authentication and Branch Target Identification (PACBTI) extensionensures code and system integrity, enhancing security for developers.
AI and ML ready:With Arm’s Helium technology and IAR Embedded Workbench’s optimization, developers can immediately start buildingpowerfulapplications inArtificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Digital Signal Processing (DSP).
Strong partnership:IAR’s rapid integration of support for the RA8 MCUs can be attributed to the longstanding partnership with Renesas, spanning diverse systems, including IoT, consumer, and industrial applications.

IAR has recently announced the smooth integration of support for Renesas RA8 MCUs in the most recent version of IAR Embedded Workbench for Arm, which is version 9.40.2. This update offers comprehensive support for the advanced Arm Cortex-M85-based RA8 devices.
The Renesas RA8 Series MCUs have introduced the Arm Cortex-M85 processor and Arm's Helium technology, which greatly enhance their DSP and AI/ML capabilities. The initial batch of devices, known as the RA8M1 Group, has already started shipping in large quantities. These RA8 MCUs provide extensive support for low voltage and offer various low-power modes. They are highly efficient, with current consumption dropping as low as 0.5µA in RTC mode when utilizing battery backup functionality. With an impressive performance rating of 6.39 Coremark/MHz, these MCUs are currently the most powerful ones available, enabling a wider range of applications that previously required microprocessors (MPUs). The RA8 Series also incorporates top-tier hardware and software-based security features, such as Advanced Cryptographic Acceleration, TrustZone, and Tamper Protection.
The IAR Embedded Workbench for Arm is widely recognized as a comprehensive development toolchain that not only accelerates embedded development but also enhances security measures. It includes the highly efficient IAR C/C++ Compiler and advanced debugging capabilities, supported by the code analysis tools IAR C-STAT and IAR C-RUN. The most recent version of this tool suite introduces a PACBTI extension, which offers a strong defense against Return-Oriented Programming (ROP) and Jump-Oriented Programming (JOP), effectively eliminating any potential software vulnerabilities that could be exploited.
“Developers aiming to harness the high performance and reliable security features of the Renesas RA8 require an equally powerful development tool suite, such as the IAR Embedded Workbench for Arm,” said Andy Beeson, Product Manager Renesas Electronics. “IAR stands as a trusted partner within the Renesas tools ecosystem, enabling our customers to commence RA8 MCU-based designs promptly.”
“We are excited to be the industry’s first to offer complete tools support for the new Renesas RA8 series,” said Anders Holmberg, CTO at IAR. “With the RA8 MCUs delivering remarkable performance and security, our tools ensure that embedded developers can fully leverage these capabilities for their AI and ML applications.”
For more information on the IAR Embedded Workbench for Arm, please visit : www.iar.com/ewarm.

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