The 21-year-old Pluggable interconnect family is now being used for new accelerator, AV, camera, machine vision, medical, memory, NVM, and proprietary interface links. New market segment expansion seems likely to continue with link shipments rising and healthy unit forecasting. New higher speed 106G and 112G per lane pluggable products will be coming out this year, […]
FAQ
What are system integration issues with FPGAs?
FPGAs are complex devices and are being used in more and more systems. The complexity of FPGAs is both a strength and a weakness. It’s a strength because of the many system performance benefits and capabilities they bring for designers to leverage. It’s a weakness because of the complexities of successfully integrating high pin-count FPGAs […]
How does using FPGAs impact the design process?
Using field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) can significantly increase the complexity of the design process. As seen in the previous FAQ on the application considerations when selecting FPGAs, these devices can bring improved performance to complex functions and improve overall system performance. This FAQ will consider the design process for FPGAs while the next and […]
Understanding decibels and decibel measurements
Decibels, (derived from bels, old units which, like unwieldy farads, are rarely used) are convenient and user-friendly terms for expressing the ratio between two amounts of power on a logarithmic scale or the amount of change, amplification or attenuation, over time of a single amount of power. In power and sound ratios, the factor is […]
What are the application considerations when selecting FPGAs?
Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are powerful and flexible devices. They combine the performance of custom designs with reprogrammability, even after the system is in the field. As a result, FPGAs are increasingly used in various systems, from the Mars rover to fighter jets and from communications and automotive systems to a growing variety of […]
Tips on designing smart home devices – Part 2
In Part 1, we covered the design criteria to consider when creating a new smart home device and some of the smart home protocols. Here, we continue with additional device-design considerations. How can I determine which cloud platform to use? Today, multiple cloud platforms are available. It depends on which smartphone or handheld device you […]
How is LVDT technology used for sensing?
Linear variable-differential transformer (LVDT) technology’s capability to accurately measurement linear movement is used to provide a position to electrical output for pressure, acceleration and force measurements. For example, in a pressure sensor, the sensing element is a diaphragm that moves a rod or cylindrical core inside the coils of a differential transformer to change the […]
FPGAs and other programmable devices – what’s the difference?
Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are digital ICs consisting of arrays of logic blocks that can be programmed (wired) and reprogrammed multiple times, even after the product containing the FPGA has been shipped and is “in the field.” FPGAs are not a monolithic technology; there are variations in how FPGAs are structured and programmed, variations […]
Tips on designing smart home devices – Part 1
The smart home market is growing rapidly, with many developers striving to get a piece of the pie. As a result, competition is fierce. To create a highly competitive smart home device, designers want to make devices that are compatible with industry standards and easy to use. And they want to get these devices to […]
Measuring and specifying microphones
One aspect of the work-at-home/stay-at-home environment of the past year has been an increased emphasis on podcasts, online meetings, and online video events. That’s why there’s more interest in microphone technology among those interested in producing a higher-quality experience. Here’s a short run-down on microphones and how they are typically measured and quantified. A microphone […]