Microchip releases mid-range FPGA Industrial edge protocol stack, core library IP, and conversion tools

As smart edge devices put new demands on energy efficiency, safety, and reliability, system architects and design engineers are forced to find new solutions. Microchip Technology announced new development resources and design services to help system designers transition to PolarFire FPgas and SOCs, including the industry's first mid-range industrial edge protocol stack, customizable encryption, and soft intellectual property (IP) startup libraries. And new tools for converting existing FPGA designs into PolarFire devices.

These new tools further expand Microchip's comprehensive toolkit of tools and services for FPgas to support the mature PolarFire family of devices, including the only RISC-V SoC FPGA in production. Shakeel Peera, Microchip's vice president of FPGA strategy, said: "Smart edge applications require optimal levels of energy efficiency, safety and reliability. "Our new mid-range industrial edge protocol stack and associated tools not only deliver automated IP, but also secure edge computing, analytics, machine learning and highly available data interconnect for Industrial iot endpoints."

Bruce Weyer, vice president of Microchip's FPGA business unit, said: "Customers are turning to PolarFire FPGas and SOCs to create products that weren't possible before, establish clear product differentiators, and accelerate innovation times. Our leading mid-range technology and unmatched RISC-V based computing solutions provide system architects with unprecedented design flexibility and efficiency."

To support its FPGA-based embedded processor portfolio, Microchip offers extensive RISC-V development support, with more than 60 companies now joining the Mi-V ecosystem.

These seven new resources and conversion tools provide direct support at all stages of design and development, making the transition to PolarFire FPGas and SOCs easier than ever. These tools include:

● Comprehensive industrial edge protocol stack for OPC/ UA-based IIoT applications

● A fully customizable encryption and startup soft IP library that includes more than 200 proven, optimized, and easy-to-use processor soft cores and other Microchip FPGA IP elements, as well as more than 120 third-party cores. Each library element is optimized for optimal area and timing with PolarFire FPGas and SOCs, enabling rapid design and prototyping.

● Direct conversion scripts that support fast conversion from other vendor FPgas, including specific step-by-step conversion tutorials.

● A high-performance AI/ML development process that lets algorithm designers build their own mid-range FPgas. The solution includes SmartHLS compiler software, VectorBlox™ accelerator Software Development Kit (SDK), and neural network IP.

● The new PolarFire SoC development kit supports Microchip's industry-winning protocol stack for intelligent embedded vision solutions, making it easier for industrial vision designers to develop sensor post-processing and vision connectivity systems.

● Tutorials, demonstrations, and resource guides on how to design low-temperature edge nodes, including Microchip's comprehensive library of FPGA and SOC tutorial videos.

● Microchip also offers a new power consumption tutorial and a set of tools for evaluating the energy efficiency and thermal management of designs in vendor-supplied estimators. These resources have been added to a full range of FPGA design services, including consulting, use case modeling and testbed, programming, validation and prototyping, design optimization and fitting, current and custom IP, and firmware development.

Microchip FPgas' Libero SoC design kit integrates a rich IP library (available in evaluation, free, and RTL versions), and VectorBlox accelerators support the most common frameworks. Both are available under license from Microchip's direct sales website, including free versions. The OPC/UA Industrial Edge protocol stack is expected to launch this quarter. Specific prices are available on request. PolarFire FPGA and SoC development kits and hardware are also available from the above website.