The Latest FPGAs Tackle Everything from ADAS to Machine Vision

Sept. 27, 2024

Discover how these FPGA innovations are transforming industry through the power of programming.

The APA7-500 is designed for COTS applications and is driven by an Artix-7 XC7A50T user-configurable FPGA.

Acromag APA7-500 FPGA Module

The APA7-500 FPGA module series acts as a user-configurable bridge between a host processor and custom digital interface via PCI Express. These boards, which feature a Xilinx Artix-7 XC7A50T user-configurable FPGA with 32 Mb of quad serial flash memory, are designed for COTS applications. They offer 52,160 logic cells, 65,200 flip-flops, 120 DSP slices, and a high-channel-count digital interface for RS-485, LVDS, and TTL options. It also comes equipped with a down-facing 100-pin Samtec connector for add-on and carrier board expansion.

Acromag offers an optional Engineering Design Kit for the APA7-500 series that provides basic information about developing custom FPGA firmware. And example FPGA design code via a Vivado IP Integrator project handles functions such as a one-lane PCI Express interface, DMA, digital I/O control register, and more.

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What you’ll learn:

Details of new, even more powerful FPGAs.
The latest hardware included in these FPGAs.
The range of potential applications.

Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are revolutionizing the way developers approach complex systems across almost every industry. They can be repeatedly reprogrammed to handle various applications, from automated systems to communications. Their versatility and scalability suit them for ADAS sensor applications, machine vision, and even edge computing.

The modules and system-on-modules (SOMs) highlighted in this gallery represent just a small handful of some of the more popular FPGAs on the market. Each is designed for specific applications, but their dynamic versatility targets them for many more purposes.

By looking at these entries, we can see a clear path of how FPGAs are evolving. With faster processors, higher memory bandwidths, increased logic cells, and lower power consumption, they’re pushing into new areas where innovation overcomes limitations.

About the Author

Cabe Atwell | Technology Editor, Electronic Design

Cabe is a Technology Editor for Electronic Design.

Engineer, Machinist, Maker, Writer. A graduate Electrical Engineer actively plying his expertise in the industry and at his company, Gunhead. When not designing/building, he creates a steady torrent of projects and content in the media world. Many of his projects and articles are online at element14 & SolidSmack, industry-focused work at EETimes & EDN, and offbeat articles at Make Magazine. Currently, you can find him hosting webinars and contributing to Electronic Design and Machine Design.

Cabe is an electrical engineer, design consultant and author with 25 years’ experience. His most recent book is “Essential 555 IC: Design, Configure, and Create Clever Circuits”

Cabe writes the Engineering on Friday blog on Electronic Design.