How can FPGA and ASIC design reduce computer system development costs?

In semiconductor technology FPGA and ASIC are the crucial role now a days. The best thing in FPGA is Reconfigured with different designs, but ASIC can't be reconfigured. Specific functions or groups of functions can be programmed into both FPGAs and ASICs. They have the ability to process data, run algorithms, carry out numerous logical operations, and direct electronic devices. ASIC and FPGA designs in VLSI encompass functionality, performance, development time, flexibility, and power consumption. Example of ASIC : a chip for a satellite Example of FPGA : high-speed search: Microsoft is using FPGAs in its data centers to run Bing search algorithms.

FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) help reduce computer system development costs by enabling: Quick Prototyping: They allow rapid design iteration and testing, shortening time-to-market. Lower Initial Costs: FPGAs eliminate the need for expensive mask sets, reducing upfront expenses. Flexibility: They enable design changes even after production, minimizing risks and development costs. Customization: FPGAs can be tailored for specific applications, optimizing performance and power consumption.

An FPGA you can think of as Lego bricks which can be moulded and configured very flexibly by a designer. Some of these Lego bricks are preconfigured as for example a door, window, even a kitchen ( using a house as a useful analogy ). If we think of a Xilinx ZYNQ MPSOC as a good modern example of an FPGA, the PS is the preconfigured kitchen, with 4 ARM 64 bit CPUs, 2 32 bit Microcontrollers, DMA engines, DDR memory controller etc. The PL is a set of free form LEGO bricks and can be configured using a HDL (SystemVerilog is my favourite), HLS (High Level Synthesis), or Model based design. If you want to change your design, it’s easy with an FPGA, just clear out the current build and start again! An ASIC is design once never change logic.

An FPGA can be targeted to implement virtually any kind of system ( with careful selection ). It can be thought of as a complete System On Chip or SOC. A modern FPGA can implement for example a RADAR, AI processor, an IOT system etc. An FPGA provides several popular bus architectures to enhance data transfers in many formats ( PCIE, Ethernet, IIC, SPI, AXI4/5), many type of peripheral and processing engines. It can be user configured to implement a vast range of applications in both hardware and software. An ASIC can be used to reduce costs by transferring an FPGA prototype into a more efficient and cheaper chip design.

An FPGA in particular can be used to accelerate and de-risk projects due to their programmability and flexibility to be able to implement a very wide range of systems. FPGA vendors produce an ever advancing range of development boards hosting wide ranging peripherals, expander connectors, and FPGA flavours. This can make developing new system prototypes much easier. For example for Radar, ADAS, AI, ML, Video Surveillance etc. An ASIC can then be created from an FPGA prototype to reduce system costs, improve power consumption, and improve performance.

The main challenges with both FPGA and ASIC design are the same: mastering the languages and complex tools needed. Purchasing the right tools and configuring them. Providing training for Engineers to constantly update their skills to match new market trends. For an ASIC the tool costs and risks are greater. Because an ASIC design cannot be changed once completed (without expensive mask changes and redesign efforts) it’s very important to use advanced verification tools to check for correctness. Such as Formal and functional verification, and gate level simulations. For FPGA usually functional verification and some basic simulations are enough because an FPGA can be reconfigured if errors are found.

To learn FPGA design the best way I think is to pick a vendor, for example AMD or Intel ( being the two favourites as of today), pick an application area ( for example IOT or Video or ML), then look at the vendors and 3rd party development boards and pick a suitable board. Now pick a few courses to learn HDL, HLS, Model design methodology, and learn the trade of FPGA design and verification. It’s not an easy journey and takes time and commitment, but success can be achieved if you’re patient! Learning ASIC design probably comes after being proficient in FPGA. ASIC tools are much more expensive and difficult to learn generally.