How RISC-V Is Bringing the Spirit of Linux to Hardware

For decades dominant architectures like x86 and ARM have been proprietary, closed and expensive to license. It has created an ecosystem where innovation is gatekept by corporate control and costly intellectual property, which makes it difficult for academia, small startups, and independent developers to experiment freely. RISC-V was developed at UC Berkeley in 2017 to challenge this status quo. It is an open modular Instruction Set Architecture(ISA) that anyone can use, modify, and implement without paying licensing fees, just like how GNU and RISC-V brought openness and freedom to the software world.

In this talk I want to explore the story of RISC-V and its philosophical parallels with opensource movement. We'll begin with a brief intro on ISAs and computer architecture, what they are now, and how they shape computing. Then we'll look at:

- Evolution of RISC-V

- Pros and cons as compared to ARM and x86

- Insights on its ecosystem and toolchains

- Economics and policy implications of open hardware in India

- Current market and research scenario globally and in India

- How one can get started with RISC-V

- And finally, challenges that lie ahead for truly open silicon

- Understand what an Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) is and why it forms the foundation of all computing systems.

- Learn how RISC-V differs from proprietary architectures like ARM and x86, and why its openness matters.

- Discover the parallels between RISC-V and the open-source software movement, especially how both democratize innovation.

- Gain insights into the RISC-V ecosystem open toolchains, hardware projects, and active communities driving adoption.

- Explore the economic and policy impact of open hardware, particularly its potential for India and other developing countries.

- Get an overview of current RISC-V applications and market trends in academia, startups, and industry.

- Explore practical ways to get started with RISC-V, from simulators and boards to open-source design tools.

- Reflect on the challenges and opportunities ahead in achieving truly open and secure silicon.