F
ield programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are integrated cir- cuits that enable designers to program customized digital logic in the field. FPGAs have been around since the 1980s and were originally conceived to give all design teams the ability to create custom logic. In the early days, using an FPGA in your design meant you had to do a lot of programming just to get your FPGA to perform simple functions, so most design- ers avoided them. If you haven’t looked into FPGAs since your university studies way back when, you’ll want to take another look at them.
