Wearable FPGA development kit in compact wristwatch form

Lattice Semiconductor offers a new wearable/wristwatch FPGA development kit with a range of hardware features that support a variety of wearable applications.

The iCE40 Ultra FPGA is a low-power platform that comes with a user guide and demos to help expedite device design, and features a large number of sensors and peripherals.

The platform uses a package that is 60% smaller than alternative microcontrollers, Lattice claims. It supports a low power standby mode for always-on functionality, making it suitable for consumer wearables that need to operate for days between charges.

Figure 1: The platform uses a package that is 60% smaller than alternative microcontrollers.

Hardware features and sensors include a 1.54-inch display, MEMS microphone, high-brightness LED, IR LED, BLE module, and 32MB of flash memory. The platform also supports sensors capable of measuring heart rate/SpO2, skin temperature, and pressure, as well as an accelerometer and gyroscope. The platform comes in a wrist watch form factor (1.5in x 1.57in x 0.87in) with a wrist strap and a built-in battery.

The iCE40 Ultra Wearable Development Platform is available now direct from Lattice at a retail price of $270.

- Graham Prophet