Lattice announces world's smallest FPGA for miniature systems

USA: Lattice Semiconductor Corp. announced the iCE40 LP384 FPGA, the smallest member of its expanding iCE40 family of ultra-low density FPGAs.

Enabling designers to rapidly add new features and differentiate cost-sensitive, space-constrained, low-power products, the new small footprint FPGA is ideal for applications such as portable medical monitors, smartphones, digital cameras, eReaders, and compact embedded systems.

The tiny, low power, low cost iCE40 LP384 FPGA has a capacity of 384 LUTs; consumes 25-Microwatts static core power; comes in packages as small as 2.5 mm x 2.5 mm with a migration path to 2.0 mm x 2.0 mm and costs less than 50 cents per unit in multi-million unit quantities.

"While system footprints continue to shrink, designers must constantly search for new ways to add more functionality so they can process more information," said Brent Przybus, senior director of corporate and product marketing at Lattice Semiconductor.

"The iCE40 LP384 FPGA offers the perfect architecture for capturing and processing large amounts of data at hardware speeds while using very little power and board space. It deftly handles system tasks such as managing sensor interfaces, adapting to new interface standards, and offloading the CPU without requiring fully custom-designed chips."

The exponential growth of handheld applications is creating new challenges for hardware designers. Many new applications today connect end users with data collected from a growing number of sensors that measure natural phenomena such as temperature, moisture, light, and positioning. At the same time, the growing use of video is driving the deployment of new low power, display technology that not only enhances the visual experience, but does so without breaking stringent power budgets.

Moreover, small automated control units are now being used to maximize energy efficiency and security in buildings and homes by responding to light, infrared, noise, and by adjusting fans, blinds, and temperature controls. Designers of these types of equipment must find ways to shrink the size of their systems while differentiating their products from competitive market offerings.