Inflexion™ Zynq 7020 SOM-LV
What is a Field Programmable Gate Array?
Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) has several definitions. It is commonly defined as a semiconductor device, an integrated circuit, or simply an electrically programmed silicon device that allows the user to create customize digital logic. FPGAs are based around configurable arrays of logic blocks that are all connected. A FPGA can and does have millions of logic gates and you can reconfigure them as many times as you like.
The architecture of FPGA has three primary components:
- Programmable, configurable logic blocks
- Interconnection matrix
- Input/output or I/O blocks
What Are FPGAs Used for?
FPGAs are flexible and programmable and as long as there are enough logic blocks, these arrays can transform into any digital circuit. Because of this characteristic, Field Programmable Gate Arrays are used in various industries and have many applications. Some of them include the following:
- Scientific and Medical Purposes: Medical and scientific equipment for monitoring, diagnostic, and therapy applications (e.g. ultrasound, x-ray, etc.).
- Data Centers: Field Programmable Gate Arrays are used for low-latency, high-bandwidth services as well as cloud storage applications.
- Security Systems: FPGAs are widely used in network and cloud security.
- Consumer Electronics: FPGAs allow for cost-effective consumer electronic solutions, such as portable entertainment (smartphones, cameras, etc.), digital TV (broadcasts, digital set-top boxes, etc.), and more.
- Aerospace and Defense: FPGAs are used for waveform generation and image processing in radios and radars for real-time digital processing.
- Digital Signal Processing: Algorithms such as image processing, digital filtering, etc.
- Parallel Processes: To control several channels simultaneously or process multiple input channels of information at once.
Inflexion™ Zynq 7020 SOM-LV
Key Advantages
Even though FPGAs require more power and it is also quite challenging to program them because of their complex calculations as compared to other microcontrollers, Field Programmable Gate Arrays offers many key advantages. These include (but not limited to) the following:
Flexibility
The unique design of FPGAs allows for some flexible reconfigurable computing. This means users can reprogram and change the device to implement an entirely different logic function depending on their needs. It is also very beneficial in terms of costs as you don’t have to worry about adding any new hardware to make changes to the circuit.
Security
Thanks to the flexibility of Field Programmable Gate Arrays, there’s a lower overall risk for malicious modifications during programming. It’s also important to note that many FPGA vendors offer different security solutions, e.g. bitstream authentication and encryption, etc. for enhanced security.
Efficiency and Performance
Field Programmable Gate Arrays have acceleration and off-load functions for your CPU. This means they are well-equipped to improve the performance of your system. In terms of performance and efficiency, FPGAs offer improved, faster dataflow and processing speeds as compared to microcontrollers. They are also very energy efficient and ensure that no energy is wasted waiting for data to be transmitted.
With how versatile and beneficial Field Programmable Gate Arrays are because of their unique programmable nature, it’s not surprising that they appeal to many users, makers and hobbyists alike, and are suitable for a wide range of applications.
References:
https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/fpga
https://www.techopedia.com/definition/2365/field-programmable-gate-array-fpga
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