STAFF-WRITTEN AND CONTRIBUTED ARTICLES

The Editorial Calendar lists topics of articles we are developing or planning and on which we are soliciting contributed articles or viewpoints.
This section is provided so that PR professionals can contact us at the appropriate times
to weigh in on topics that are important to their clients.

Active Development
If you or your client want to weigh in on these topics, you should schedule your briefings now.

There are a number of news-driven articles in final development. As always, please contact us as early as possible if your company is making major announcements. This lead time gives us the best chance to feature your company's announcement in a major feature article.

This article will look at the expanding role of programmable logic in consumer devices.

This article series will look at the plethora of FPGA based development boards.

Historically FPGAs have often been seen as security holes in the system. However, new advances have allowed FPGAs to take an aggressive role in establishing security ranging from protecting the design itself to enabling security for user and OEM data.

With the proliferation of new, ESL-based design methodologies and the expansion of legacy HDL and schematic-based entry, this article series examines the creeks, streams, tributaries, and rivers of the many FPGA design “flows”. As FPGAs expand into new markets, new ways of designing them emerge every year.

This article series looks at the mixture of hardware-based and software-based design and debug methodologies. The reprogrammable nature of FPGAs allows a rich mixture of very fast hardware-based execution and deep insight from software-based debug visibility.

This article series looks at the issues surrounding FPGAs and programmable logic in high-volume applications. We will discuss the new generation of more capable CPLDs, the increased capability of low-cost FPGAs, and the many cost-reduction options available for high-end FPGA technology.

This series of articles looks into new applications of soft-core processors on FPGAs. What kind of performance can you get with a soft core? What does a soft core really cost on your final BOM? What types of applications make sense to load onto one of these phantom processors?

This article series looks at the incorporation of programmable logic and other programmable hardware platforms into the DSP domain. How do these speedy number crunchers work in real-world systems? Are they used stand-alone or paired with general-purpose processors and DSP processors? What design software and methodologies are used for these hybrid DSP designs?

From the dawn of FPGAs, the potential of programmable logic devices as prototyping vehicles was clear. Since then, FPGAs have found their way into emulators, mock-ups, prototypes, and early production versions of thousands of systems. This article series examines the use of FPGAs as system-level prototyping tools.

FPGAs pose unique challenges for the PCB designer. How can we structure our design projects, teams, and development tool selection to make PCB integration as smooth as possible.

This article will look at the important role that programmable logic can play in some of the most advanced technologies for defense.

This article series will examine power optimization tools and techniques for FPGA design.

This article series will examine new verification techniques for complex FPGA design.

This article series will examine the latest trends in synthesis technology and will explain the critical role synthesis plays in maximizing FPGA design performance.

This article series will take a look at the latest trends in digital signal processing with FPGAs.

This article series will examine the role of FPGAs as processing elements in high performance reconfigurable computing systems.

This article series will go into depth on the increasing use of FPGAs as system on chip platforms for embedded design.

This article series examines the various technologies used with non-volatile FPGAs and the trade-offs system designers face in choosing between volatile and non-volatile devices.

In order for FPGAs to continue their march into broader adoption and new market segments, a robust ecosystem of profitable companies providing tools, IP, boards, and services is required.  However, a well-fortified and highly competitive duopoly consisting of the two largest FPGA companies has had a chilling effect on the evolution of the third-party FPGA ecosystem.  This article explores the effects of free tools, subsidized IP, and all-out feuding on the nascent FPGA ecosystem, and asks if we're approaching a point of change in the market.

As more and more widely-implemented standards (such as PCI Express and Gigabit Ethernet) require high-speed serial I/O, issues like signal integrity, pre-emphasis, and equalization move from the lunatic fringe into mainstream design. This article series looks at the role of FPGAs in this industry-wide move to serial connectivity.

Almost everything we design with today has some reference to RoHS compliance. This article takes a look at the issues surrounding green design. Which requirements make sense and which are the result of over-active paranoia? Where do we need to do more? What are the implications on the average electronic system designer?

Our annual end of year article will take a look at the most interesting and important FPGA related developments of 2008. If you think your company did something that qualifies, give us a call.