FLIR speeds thermal imaging FPGA dev't

MathWorks has revealed that FLIR Systems used MATLAB and HDL Coder to reduce thermal imaging FPGA development time from concept to field-testable prototype by 60 percent. By using MATLAB to design, simulate and evaluate algorithms, and HDL Coder to rapidly implement the best algorithms on FPGAs, FLIR was able to speed development, complete enhancements in hours instead of weeks, and reuse code for prototyping and production, added the company.

With MATLAB and HDL Coder, FLIR's algorithm engineers produce FPGA prototypes themselves instead of handing written specifications to hardware engineers, who may not have full knowledge of the algorithm. This new thermal imaging algorithm development workflow also eliminates the error-prone step of translating algorithms to HDL by hand, adding time for developers to try more design iterations. As a result, FLIR algorithm engineers are able to explore a variety of design variations, gain confidence in the final prototype, and reuse code for production.

Nicholas Hogasten, image processing technology manager at FLIR Systems stated that the use of MATLAB and HDL Coder increases their responsiveness to market needs. The company can now embrace change because new ideas can be made into real-time-capable hardware prototypes in a matter of weeks. There is more joy in engineering, so we've increased job satisfaction as well as customer satisfaction