PolarFire RISC-V SoC FPGA development tools

Update: November 24, 2021

PolarFire RISC-V SoC FPGA development tools

PolarFire RISC-V SoC FPGA development tools

Microchip Technology has announced the second development tool offering in its Smart Embedded Vision initiative for designers using its PolarFire RISC-V System on Chip (SoC) Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).

The PolarFire device is the only mid-range device of its kind that simultaneously supports dual 4K video processing and quad core RISC-V application-class processors running both the Real Time Operating System (RTOS) and operating systems like Linux.

Microchip’s Smart Embedded Vision development platform joins the company’s previously announced VectorBlox software development kit (SDK) and IP for using the PolarFire devices to program a trained neural network without prior FPGA expertise.

This latest offering simplifies edge-compute solution development in the thermally challenging environments of the IIoT and factory automation applications.

The platform’s IP, hardware and tools for these solutions include:

  • Embedded Vision – Supporting the following: dual 4K MIPI CSI-2 cameras; HDMI 2.0 with expansion based on the FPGA Mezzanine Card (FMC); CoaXPress 2.0; SDI (6 Gbps and 12 Gbps); Universal Serial 10 GE Media Independent Interface (USXGMII) MAC IP with auto-negotiation; and USB 3.1 Gen 1 and Gen 2 protocols.
  • IIoT and factory automation – Enables Wi-Fi/Bluetooth; USB 2.0; SD Card; Embedded MultiMediaCard (eMMC); fully integrated Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) endpoint and root port functionality configured for four lanes; and a mikroBUS connector that can be used with Microchip’s Trust&GO platform for secure cloud connectivity.

The platform includes support for Microchip’s Mi-V RISC-V ecosystem including development tools from AdaCore, Green Hills Software, Mentor Graphics and Wind River.

Commercial RTOS solutions are available including VxWorks and Nucleus, and free ones include Zephyr and FreeRTOS. Middleware solutions are also available from DornerWorks, Hex Five and Veridify Security.