What is a System on a Chip (SOC)?
The demands on computer chips and processors these days is staggering. Even the simplest computer is required to complete complex tasks simultaneously. Basic emails can now contain photos, image files, and even multimedia audio and video. More and more is being asked of computers, and the space available inside a computer’s chips and processors is shrinking, creating an inverse relationship of stronger demand for functionality on less and less physical space. The physical limits of silicon and chips themselves will eventually create an end game for this sort of progress. To this end, some manufacturers are pursuing the Grant Unified Theory of computing known as System-on-a-Chip, or SOC. SOC combines all the various components of a computer onto a single chip. The benefits of SOC are self-evident: Everything needed to run the computer is contained in that one chip – the smaller the better. This includes the computer’s operating system, electronic functions, memory of all varieties, time
