Why Microchip FPGAs are Essential for the Future of Robotics

How do you create a robot that is both powerful and nimble, capable of safely handling heavy lifting on a construction site while remaining lightweight and energy-efficient enough to operate for extended periods without recharging? A crucial component is the use of FPGAs, which minimize overall power consumption, ensure robust security for connected systems and support intelligent robotic vision, communication and computational tasks—all while reducing safety risks in Industrial 5.0 applications.

In this article, we will explore the robotics industry, which is transforming how we work and live by revolutionizing sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, agriculture, logistics and more. Robotics systems are driving advances in precision surgeries and patient care, optimizing crop management and harvesting, accelerating production lines, enhancing quality control, and streamlining warehouse operations and supply chain management. These achievements are made possible through the integration of numerous essential technologies and protocols. Microchip Technology’s PolarFire? FPGAs play a crucial role in this innovation, offering a unique combination of power efficiency, security, reliability, and longevity, making them indispensable for modern robotics.

What Robots Require

Robots need FPGAs that are backed by the necessary range of essential technologies and protocols. Here are a few examples that are included in Microchip’s FPGA and FPGA SoC portfolio:

● 4K60 Smart Embedded Vision at the Edge: Robotics systems need video, imaging, and Machine Learning (ML) IP and tools for accelerating designs that require high performance in low-power, small form-factors across the industrial, medical, broadcast, automotive, aerospace and defense markets.

● Multi-axis Motor Control to drive high-power servo drives: FPGAs and FPGA SoCs that offer a flexible motor control IP suite and reference design enable robotic systems to tackle the increasing performance required to monitor and drive more efficient power electronics.

● OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA): This secure, cross-platform, open-source IEC 62541 standard for machine-to-machine communication simplifies industrial connectivity and integrates devices, automation systems and software applications. It can be implemented using PolarFire SoC FPGAs using a client-server architecture.

● Robotic Operating System 2 (ROS2)?implementation: Microchip has collaborated with Acceleration Robotics to publish the popular ROS 2 tool and library release for building complex robotic systems using Microchip’s RISC-V?-based PolarFire SoC FPGA and supporting Icicle Kit. It includes a portfolio of ROS 2-API-compatible IP cores for such robotic tasks as perception and coordinate transformations.

● Machine Learning support: Microchip’s VectorBlox? accelerator software development kit and neural network IP offers the most power-efficient Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-based Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) inference with PolarFire FPGAs.

● Functional Safety: Microchip FPGAs help developers meet the IEC 61508 functional safety readiness that is a prerequisite for robotic designs. IEC 61508 requirements are extensive and ensure that functional safety is considered and accounted for in all aspects of the program for the entire lifecycle of the product.

Introducing the Smart Robotics Solution Stack

Microchip Technology is proud to introduce the Smart Robotics Solution Stack, a comprehensive platform tailored for the development of advanced robotic applications. At the heart of this solution stack are PolarFire? FPGAs, renowned for their unmatched power efficiency, security and reliability.

Key Benefits of Microchip’s PolarFire? FPGAs for Robotics:

1. Power Efficiency: Designed for extended operation, PolarFire FPGAs and FPGA SoCs combine low-power consumption with effective thermal management to prevent overheating. They consume up to 50% less power compared to competing devices, making them ideal for autonomous robots. This power efficiency is achieved through advanced nonvolatile process technology, which reduces heat generation to help extend the operational lifespan of robotics systems.
2. High-Resolution Vision and Real-Time Data Processing: PolarFire FPGAs help power the “brain” of robotics, including high-resolution vision processing capabilities and the Asymmetric Multiprocessing (AMP) to enable concurrent execution of multiple operating systems - crucial for applications that require immediate responses, such as those in industrial automation and autonomous vehicles.
3. Advanced Security: In an era of increasing cybersecurity threats, PolarFire FPGAs help protect the future of robotics through advanced security features including cryptographically secured supply chains, anti-tamper mechanisms and NIST-certified cryptographic algorithms. These features are essential for protecting intellectual property and ensuring data integrity in sensitive applications.

Comprehensive Support for Developers

Microchip provides an extensive suite of resources to accelerate the development of robotic systems, including evaluation boards, development kits and a rich library of intellectual property (IP) cores including AI and ML accelerators, vision processing, and control algorithms. These IP cores accelerate design productivity by providing proven, optimized and easy-to-use logic blocks/IC design.

Together, the features of our Smart Robotics solutions accelerate development, provide unmatched power efficiency and robust security, maximize versatility and flexibility, and deliver a critical combination of innovation and reliability. They allow developers to bring advanced robotics solutions to market faster and more effectively.

Explore Our Resources

1. Interactive Website: Dive deeper into our robotics solutions on our interactive website, featuring an infographic and detailed information on how Microchip’s FPGAs are powering the future of robotics.
2. White Paper: Learn more about the challenges and technical aspects of integrating FPGAs in robotics by reading our comprehensive white paper. This resource is a must-read for anyone looking to forward cutting-edge robotic solutions to their clients.

Stay Ahead with Microchip Technology

The future of robotics is bright, and with continued innovation and collaboration, we can expect even more sophisticated and capable robots to emerge and be further integrated into our lives and industries. This is the vision that Microchip Technology is committed to supporting with our PolarFire FPGAs and Smart Robotics Solution Stack that help pave the way for smarter and more power-efficient and capable system designs.

Stay tuned for more insights and updates on how Microchip is transforming the robotics landscape.