Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 3, 2026

Hercules (microcontroller)

Hercules is a line of ARM architecture-based microcontroller from Texas Instruments built around one or more ARM Cortex cores. This "Hercules safety microcontroller platform" includes a series of microcontrollers specifically targeted for Functional Safety applications, through such hardware-base fault correction/detection features as dual cores that can run in lock-step, full path ECC, automated self testing of memory and logic, peripheral redundancy, and monitor/checker cores.

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Jul 3, 2026
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ARM architectures
The ARM logo
DesignerARM Holdings
32-bit architectures (Cortex)
VersionARMv8-R, ARMv7-A, ARMv7-R, ARMv7E-M, ARMv7-M, ARMv6-M
Encoding32-bit except Thumb2 extensions use mixed 16- and 32-bit instructions.
EndiannessBi (Little as default)
ExtensionsThumb-2 (mandatory since ARMv7), NEON, Jazelle, FPv4-SP
Registers
General-purpose16 x 32-bit integer registers including PC and SP
Floating-pointUp to 32 × 64-bit registers,1 SIMD/floating-point (optional)

Hercules is a line of ARM architecture-based microcontroller from Texas Instruments built around one or more ARM Cortex cores. This "Hercules safety microcontroller platform" includes a series of microcontrollers specifically targeted for Functional Safety applications, through such hardware-base fault correction/detection features as dual cores that can run in lock-step, full path ECC, automated self testing of memory and logic, peripheral redundancy, and monitor/checker cores.

This line includes the TMS470M, TMS570 and RM4 families. These families were "designed specifically for IEC 61508 and ISO 26262 safety critical applications".2 However, they differ significantly in the degree of support for these safety standards:3

TMS470
  • Value Line Transportation and Safety MCUs
  • Supports Safety for
    • IEC 61508 systems
RM4
  • High Performance Industrial and Medical Safety MCUs
  • Developed to Safety Standards
    • IEC 61508 SIL-3
TMS570
  • High Performance Transportation and Safety MCUs
  • Developed to Safety Standards
    • IEC 61508 SIL-3
    • ISO 26262 ASIL D
In particular, TMS570 support for ASIL D is accomplished through dual lock-step cores.
See also

See also

References

References

  1. "Procedure Call Standard for the ARM Architecture" (PDF). ARM Holdings. 30 November 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  2. "Hercules Safety ARM MCUs". Texas Instruments.
  3. "Hercules ARM® CortexTM-R4 Safety Microcontrollers" (PDF). Arrow Electronics. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
External links