From smart phones to medical equipment, from microwaves to antilock braking systems — modern embedded systems projects develop computing machines that have become an integral part of our society. To develop these products, computer engineers employ a wide range of tools and technology to assemble embedded systems from hardware and software components. One component — the Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) — is becoming increasingly important. Informally, an FPGA can be thought of as a “blank slate” on which any digital circuit can be configured (Figure 1.1). Moreover, the desired functionality can be configured in the field — that is, after the device has been manufactured, installed in a product, or, in some cases, even after the product has been shipped to the consumer. This makes the FPGA device fundamentally different from other Integrated Circuit (IC) devices. In short, an FPGA provides programmable “hardware” to the embedded systems developer.
[MK] Dave
