Industry Expert Blogs
The different approaches to Hardware-in-the-Loop verificationRocketBlog - Dave Orecchio, President and CEO, GateRocketSep. 14, 2010 |
Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) describes a verification technique that is used in a variety of design applications, including the latest semiconductor design. Traditionally, HIL has seen extensive use to test algorithms in embedded systems developed by automotive and aeronautics designers, but has become increasingly popular in the design of complex ICs and embedded system for all kinds of electronics.
As FPGAs increase in capacity and performance, they more closely resemble custom ICs in terms of their capabilities; HIL has become a necessary verification strategy for modern FPGAs. But, as with many things related to FPGAs, there are subtle differences in the implementation of HIL for FPGAs that can produce a significant impact on performance. Designers should be aware of these choices when selecting an HIL solution.