Software adds C-based FPGA design input

CoDeveloper C-to-FPGA tools from Impulse Accelerated Technologies can now be integrated with advanced FPGA synthesis and verification tools from Synplicity.

CoDeveloper C-to-FPGA tools from Impulse Accelerated Technologies can now be integrated with advanced FPGA synthesis and verification tools from Synplicity.

Impulse has also joined the Synplicity Strategic Access Partner Programme.

The partnership emphasises C-to-hardware tools as a powerful addition to HDL-based design methods.

CoDeveloper adds an ANSI C design input methodology to Synplify Pro.

Synplicity users can now describe the processing-intensive portions of an application design in C-language, combine the resulting optimised HDL with hand-crafted HDL blocks, and synthesise within Synplify Pro.

CoDeveloper provides advanced behavioural synthesis of C-language algorithms, as well as simplifying the creation of mixed hardware/software applications targeting FPGA-based computing platforms.

This combination of tools provides a new and highly productive entry and iteration method for hardware designers, as well as providing greater access to FPGAs by software engineers.

Applications suited to this approach include image processing, DSP, data encryption and other types of high performance and embedded computing.

"Tools such as Impulse-C for software-to-hardware mapping can be an effective component in an HDL synthesis methodology", said Professor Alan D George, Director of the High-Performance Computing and Simulation (HCS) Research Lab at the University of Florida.

"The ability to rapidly generate FPGA hardware from C-level behavioural descriptions encourages experimentation and helps bridge the gap between software and hardware design, targeting platforms ranging from reconfigurable supercomputers to high-performance embedded systems".

"The addition of CoDeveloper's C-to-RTL technology to the design entry options for the Synplify Pro software provides new alternatives for our users and the broader software engineering community", stated Joe Gianelli, Vice President of Business Development, Synplicity.

"With the increased use of FPGAs for embedded software acceleration, the ability to compile standard, untimed C code directly into synthesisable HDL capability is of great importance, and creates a user friendly flow for a wider audience of FPGA users".

According to David Pellerin, cofounder of Impulse: "This partnership allows us to create better technical integration between our respective products, increasing the generated FPGA hardware's quality of results".

"We are seeing increased demand from design teams that include both software and hardware designers for a faster path from C-language prototypes to working hardware".

"Impulse-to-Synplify provides that path".

Impulse C licences for Xilinx or Altera FPGAs cost from $2695 (annual) to $4995 (perpetual).

30-day evaluations are free to qualified engineers.

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