The Linux kernel just recently added support for packing firmware into an FPGA through the FPGA manager Framework. [OpenTechLab] has developed a chauffeur for the Lattice iCE40 FPGA (same chip utilized on the iCEStick as well as other advancement boards). One attraction to the iCE40 is there is an open source toolchain called iCEStorm.

Even if you aren’t particularly thinking about FPGAs, the discussion about Linux gadget chauffeurs is great background. The principles would apply to other drivers, as well as would certainly apply if you want to compose one more FPGA loader.

The example utilizes a Raspberry Pi linked to an assessment board. A affordable Sigrok-based logic analyzer let him troubleshoot as well as debug. If you believe FPGA advancement is expensive,  think again. The board utilized right here is well under $50 as well as the software application is free. An iCEStick is even cheaper, as well as would most likely work here, too. You are likely to have the other bits, however even if you requirement to purchase a Pi as well as the logic analyzer, the whole thing is method under $100.

We’ve covered the iCEStick as well as iCEStorm rather a bit in the past. There are likewise rather a few iCE40 boards for the Raspberry Pi that should work well with this, including this one.