element14.com, an online engineering community, has announced the graduation of the charter class of engineers in its Path to Programmable training program. The program, sponsored by Avnet, Inc. and Xilinx, Inc., was designed to accelerate the adoption of programmable logic devices in electronic hardware design.

The training program enrolled five community members and trained them on FPGA/SoC technology to speed up their understanding of the technology, development tools, and design flow process. FPGA/SoCs are key to delivering smart, connected systems suitable for a wide variety of cutting edge applications, spanning aerospace & defense, automotive, data center, high performance computing, industrial IOT, medical, and 5G Wireless.

The engineers received mentoring from experts at the element14 Community and the engineering team at Xilinx and Avnet. Support included element14 Essentials learning modules on Programmable Logic and Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). The engineers were also given an Avnet Minized, a single-core Zynq 7Z007S development board designed for entry-level Zynq SoC developers. The program wrapped up with the engineer-trainees building a project of their choice using the skills they acquired during the training.

Dianne Kibbey, Global Head of Community and Social Media for the element14 Community said: “The growth in the use of programmable logic devices such as FPGAs in drones, wireless networks, data centers, IoT and ADAS vehicles makes this training both timely and critical for the development of the next generation of engineers. This new program from the element14 Community provided our members with a great opportunity for professional development and helped them accelerate their technology adoption of designing hardware controlled by FPGAs/SoCs."

Dianne added, “We are already planning for a further intake of engineers into the program, with the intention of helping more and more engineers understand how simple FPGAs can be.”

“It’s been really exciting following the progress of the participants, and exciting to see a new group of users learn Xilinx technology,” says Jayson Bethurem, product line manager, Xilinx. “Interest in FPGAs has been increasing at an exponential rate and we’re proud to partner with a community like element14 to bring educational content on programmable logic devices, like the Zynq-7000 SoCs, to more people than ever.”

The element14 Community was the first community specifically built for engineers and now has over 650,000 engineering, maker and entrepreneurial members. The Path to Programmable program was developed following feedback from the members themselves, aimed to help engineers quickly adopt programmable logic device technology and to address any misconceptions they have about the difficulty of working with them.

Xilinx products are available from Newark in North America, Farnell in Europe and element14 in APAC.

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, has announced the availability of the Ultra96™, an ARM-based Ultra96 development board jointly created by Avnet, Xilinx, and 96Boards. The development board is based on the Linaro 96Boards Consumer Edition specification, features the Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC and provides developers with a unique and powerful environment to simplify machine learning. The 96Boards' specifications are open and define a standard board layout for development platforms.

The Ultra96 is uniquely designed to offer a wide range of potential peripherals and features programmable logic acceleration engines which help to deliver complexity with simplicity. It allows software developers to accelerate the development process for applications that require intense processing and high performance in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, virtual reality, IoT and industrial control.

Cliff Ortmeyer, Global Head of Solutions Development for Premier Farnell said: “As the Development Distributor, our aim is to provide design engineers with the latest technologies that enable them to speed up their design process and get products to market faster. The Ultra96 board combines Arm processing with programmable logic in a convenient, low-cost and expandable board which showcases a wide range of potential peripherals and acceleration engines that will help design engineers counter software bottlenecks.”

The Ultra96 boots from the industrial rated Delkin 16GB MicroSD card (supplied with the Ultra96 board), preloaded with Embedded Linux. Design engineers can connect to the Ultra96 through a Web server using its integrated wireless access point capability, or use the pre-loaded Embedded Linux plus Enlightenment Desktop via integrated Mini DisplayPort video output. Multiple application examples and on-board development options are provided as examples.

The board includes four user-controllable LEDs. Design engineers can also interact with the board through the 96Boards-compatible low-speed and high-speed expansion connectors by adding peripheral accessories such as those included in Seeed Studio’s Grove Starter Kit for 96Boards.

Features include:

• Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC ZU3EG A484
• Micron 2 GB (512M x32) LPDDR4 RAM
• 16 GB microSD card pre-loaded with Embedded Linux OS
• 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 (provides both Classic & BLE)
• Mini DisplayPort (MiniDP or mDP)
• 1x USB 3.0 Type Micro-B upstream (Device) port
• 2x USB 3.0 and 1x USB 2.0 Type A downstream (Host) ports
• 40-pin Low-speed expansion header
• 60-pin High-speed expansion header

The Ultra96 development board is available from Farnell element14 in EMEA, Newark element14 in North America and element14 in Asia Pacific.

element14.com, the community for engineers, is launching a new reality series called “Path to Programmable” sponsored by Xilinx. The series will take five community members new to FPGASOCs and train them to better understand the technology, development tools and design flow process over the course of the twelve week programme. FPGASoCs are key to delivering smart, connected systems suitable for a wide variety of applications from Machine Learning and 5G Wireless to Cloud Computing and Industrial IoT and the programme aims to show how simple it can be to use FPGAs within a project.

The trainees will receive a mix of training and mentoring provided by experts from the element14 community, Newark element14, and the engineering team at Xilinx and Avnet, including element14 essentials courses on FPGAs and other proprietary training. The five trainees will also be given a Minized development board -- a single-core Zynq 7Z007S development board designed for entry-level Zynq developers and be required to build a project of their choice using the skills they have acquired from the training.

Dianne Kibbey, Global Head of Community and Social Media for the element14 community said: “The element14 community provides a platform to execute unique educational programs and we are committed to supporting its members as they build projects, develop their skills and stay up to date with the latest technologies. This new program will provide our members with a great opportunity for professional development and help address some of the misconceptions around the complexity of programming with FPGAsSoCs."

The element14 community was the first community specifically built for engineers and now has over half a million engineer, manufacturer, inventor, and innovator members. This programme, developed following feedback from the members themselves, aims to help engineers get up to speed on new FPGA technology and to address any misconceptions they have about the learning curve and difficulty of working with them. Other community members will be able to follow along and learn at the same time as members blog weekly about their progress.

element14 community members who would like the chance to participate in the series can sign up at https://www.element14.com/community/community/design-challenges/pathtoprogrammable before August 24 2018.

Xilinx products are available from Newark element14 in North America, Farnell element14 in Europe and element14 in APAC

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, is supporting customers of the Xilinx® Zynq® UltraScale+™ MPSoC family with the launch of two Texas Instruments reference designs to ease the development of power solutions for customers developing innovative applications using these devices.

Each reference design, which provides customers with an easy way to prototype their designs before fully understanding their power needs, is a scalable power supply designed to provide power to the Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ family of FPGA-based MPSoC devices. The designs receive power from a standard DC power supply and provide power to all rails of the Xilinx chipset and DDR memory through a well-defined Samtec socket-terminal strip connection.

The Integrated Power Supply Reference Design for Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ZU2CG−ZU5EV MPSoCs is scalable to support ZU2CG-ZU3EG devices. In addition, the Integrated Power Supply Reference Design for Xilinx Artix®-7 and Spartan®-7 FPGAs, and Zynq®-7000 SoCs is further scalable to support the most basic Spartan-7 FPGA device, a more complex Artix-7 FPGA with multigigabit transceivers, and up to the Zynq-7000 SoC with a dual-core Arm® Cortex®-A9 processor.

As the two reference designs share the same concept and prototype PCB, customers can use the same power design across the Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ family and the Xilinx cost-optimized portfolio. Power solutions for devices of this type typically require custom power-management ICs or use many discrete power regulators to provide power to FPGA platforms. The new solution results in a scalable design which features a configurable PMIC and individually selected discrete components.

The solution size is optimized for each assembly variant, with power building blocks selected depending on the Xilinx product. In early prototyping, the Texas Instruments reference designs can be used for power-on scenarios. For the final design, the power solution can be implemented as the smallest solution size.

The result is an elegant and scalable solution which enables designers using both the Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ family and the Xilinx cost-optimised products (Artix-7, Spartan-7, and Zynq-7000) to create a reusable power platform. A typical application example would be a power solution for customers designing an industrial robot using a ZU+ as the central computer and multiple Spartan-7s for motor control of the axis. This solution powers both chipsets.

Simon Meadmore, Global Head of semiconductors and SBC at Premier Farnell said; “As the Development Distributor, Premier Farnell seek to provide customers with ways to speed up their design processes, saving time and money as they get their products to market. These new reference designs from Texas Instruments give customers a way to prototype their designs even before they understand their full power needs – and can be tailored to work across all Xilinx solutions from the Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ family to Xilinx’s cost-optimised portfolio. We are able to bring these to our customers due to the strong relationships we have built with the world’s leading manufacturers and suppliers – bringing together the best solutions available to deliver real benefits for our customers”.

To find out more about the PMIC reference designs from Texas Instruments, visit uk.farnell.com/fpga-power. To browse more TI power solutions for Xilinx FPGAs, visit ti.com/powerfpga.

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, is committed to providing the latest in embedded solutions; stocking an extensive range of products from leading suppliers such as Cypress, Xilinx and NXP as well as an exclusive range of development kits created by its technology brand, element14.

With over 2,500 development kits and accessories in stock, customers can access daughter boards and modules, primary platform development kits, single board computers and development kit accessories such as adaptors, circuit racks, enclosures and sensor kits, all with same day dispatch.

Premier Farnell also works with partners to bring exclusive development kits to customers, helping them get started with new technologies, reduce design time and accelerate time to market.

Premier Farnell's top picks for embedded solutions include:

• Cypress PSoC 6 BLE Pioneer Kit: The perfect way for engineers to get started with next-generation IoT Designs using the new PSoC 6 MCU, which is purpose-built for the IoT. The PSoC 6 MCU is an IoT game changer which eliminates the need for designers to choose between high performance and low power in their IoT project development. The PSoC 6 delivers both, plus the security that next-generation IoT devices demand - all on the famous PSoC programmable fabric.

• Xilinx® All Programmable Devices: Xilinx All Programmable devices provide the designer with a flexible route to system implementation. The blank canvas of the device can quickly be configured by using advanced development tools and libraries to produce a product that does exactly what is needed, providing a faster time to market. By integrating multiple functions in a single device there is a reduced Bill of Materials, making savings in both purchasing and manufacturing.

• Raspberry Pi IoT Learner Kit:  Developed in collaboration with IBM, the kit provides an end-to-end learning solution for makers, hardware and software developers and students looking to get started with IoT development. Built around the Raspberry Pi3 and Raspberry Pi sense hat, the kit can be used in conjunction with IBM’s Coursera course: “A Developer`s Guide to Internet of Things (IoT)” to learn the skills required for IoT development, create projects and bring innovative projects into commercial application.

Premier Farnell is joining Avnet Silica on stand at Embedded World 2018, 27^th February to 1^st March. Visitors to the Premier Farnell booth at the Avnet Silica stand will be able to demo the Raspberry Pi IoT Learner Kit and preview the element14 Development Kit for the Texas Instruments SimpleLink™ Sub-1 GHz Sensor to Cloud Linux® Gateway.

• Development Kit for TI SimpleLink™ Sub- GHz sensor to Cloud Linux® Gateway: Exclusive to Premier Farnell, the kit provides an end-to-end tool to enable a Sub-1 GHz sensor network with an Internet of Things (IoT) gateway and cloud connectivity. The element14 SimpleLink™ Sub-1GHz Sensor to Cloud Linux Industrial Gateway development kit allows developers to get to market faster with an out-of-the-box, end-to-end solution enabling an easy cloud connection for sending and receiving long-range sensor data while maintaining a robust link. The kit contains all the components needed to create a full sensor network, including a gateway design based on the BeagleBone® Black, the BeagleBone Wireless Connectivity Cape, and the TI SimpleLink™ dual-band CC1350 wireless MCU LaunchPad™ development kit acting as the MAC co-processor.

Simon Meadmore, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Premier Farnell said: “As the Development Distributor, we are focussed on providing our customers with the support they need to get their products to market quickly. One way in which we do this is by providing access to the latest embedded devices, all in stock and all available for same day dispatch, supporting design engineers wherever they are on their journey, as they learn, innovate, optimise and bring their products to market.”

To view Premier Farnell’s extensive range of embedded development kits and accessories visit Farnell element14 in Europe, Newark element14 in North America and element14 in APAC.

To see demos of the Raspberry Pi IoT Learner Kit and element 14 Development kit for the TI SimpleLink™ visit Premier Farnell at the Avnet Silica Stand located in Hall 1, stand 1-370 at Embedded World.

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, announces the addition of Xilinx® All Programmable Devices to their extensive product offering. By adding Xilinx to their growing list of global franchised suppliers, Premier Farnell are giving their customers access to their market leading devices that provide both design flexibility and freedom.

Mike Barone, VP Channel Sales for Xilinx says “We are excited that Xilinx products will now be available through Premier Farnell, helping to expand our online presence and reach globally. We recognize the outstanding support that Premier Farnell provides to its customers from concept through to volume production—with design services, bespoke development and integration platforms, as well as evaluation kits and continuity of supply. Premier Farnell will enable customer expansion through their mass market approach and the unique position they hold as the development distributor.”

All Programmable devices provide the designer with a flexible route to system implementation. The blank canvas of the device can quickly be configured by using advanced development tools and libraries to produce a product that does exactly what is needed, providing a faster time to market. By integrating multiple functions in a single device there is a reduced Bill of Materials, making savings in both purchasing and manufacturing. These flexible devices allow the designer to carry out upgrades to systems that have been deployed. All Programmable devices are making inroads into a wide range of markets, including military, aerospace and defence, industrial and commercial; inside hardware ranging from edge devices in the IoT to massive data servers; and support what can be an almost endless list of functions.

Chris Breslin, Senior Vice President, Product and Supplier Management for Premier Farnell says “All Programmable devices provide a powerful addition to the system developer’s tool kit, giving a new level of design freedom. The device families in Xilinx’s All Programmable portfolio are recognised for providing the best price/performance in their class, and to this Premier Farnell is adding the outstanding customer support that underpins our role as the development distributor.”

Premier Farnell has developed a new Xilinx technical resource capability accessible via livechat, email and phone and supported by All Programmable device technical champions in each region; providing access to a full range of design resources that are intended to help developers drive programmable devices into mass market products.

Premier Farnell is part of Avnet, who announced a renewed commitment to their successful Primary Global Channel relationship of 31 consecutive years and wider distribution of Xilinx’s All Programmable products in April 2017. Further information is available here.

Xilinx All Programmable devices are available from Farnell element14 in Europe, Newark element14 in North America and element14 in APAC.