GOWIN Semiconductor announces the release of their latest mSoC FPGA with integrated Bluetooth 5.0 Low Energy radio enabling an entirely new wave of FPGA computing capabilities at the edge.
Edge computing is requiring new demands on programmable devices. With significant variances in product requirements, GOWIN is paving the way for innovation with a variety of new features integrated within their next-generation FPGAs. Their latest device called the GW1NRF-4 provides a 4k LUT FPGA, a 32-bit power-optimized ARC processor and a Bluetooth Low Energy radio all in a single 6 × 6 mm QFN package. This enables product developers flexible IO for sensors, audio, camera and display interfaces, FPGA resources for parallel computing and acceleration, and a microcontroller for control, configuration, and power management.
“The market is requiring easily deployed connectivity for edge computing,” said Scott Casper, Director of Sales, Americas, GOWIN Semiconductor. “Once again, GOWIN is leading the response with our first RF solution. With this new device, embedded designers can wirelessly connect IoT devices to cloud gateways or other handheld devices via Bluetooth LE. In addition, deployed FPGAs can be programmed in the field through the Bluetooth LE connection, allowing system upgrades without the need for major maintenance expenses.”
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| Block Diagram of the GW1NRF-4. |
Since power consumption is often a critical aspect of Bluetooth enabled devices, GOWIN’s GW1NRF-4 device includes a power management unit, which allows for various power modes along with a full chip disable feature to turn off the device while consuming only 5 nA.
“Next-generation FPGA’s for edge applications can benefit tremendously from having power management” said Grant Jennings, Director of International Marketing for GOWIN Semiconductor. “The GW1NRF-4 provides multiple power modes and the ability to power gate the FPGA fabric. This is great for Bluetooth Low Energy applications that are typically battery-powered.”
