Lattice Semiconductor Unveils Lattice Automate: Low‑Power FPGA Stack for Industrial Automation

Lattice Semiconductor has extended its portfolio of comprehensive low power FPGA-based solution stacks with the introduction of Lattice Automate.

The stack includes software tools, industrial IP cores, modular hardware development boards, and software-programmable reference designs and demos that simplify and accelerate implementation of applications like robotics, scalable multi-channel motor control with predictive maintenance, and real-time industrial networking.

Intelligent industrial systems made possible by Automate will play a vital role in automating future smart factories, warehouses, and commercial buildings.

Technology trends like the IoT and Edge computing are driving development of intelligent automation systems to improve efficiency and worker safety. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global industrial automation market is projected to reach $326.14 billion by 2027.

Mark Hoopes, director of industrial segment marketing, Lattice, says: “In order for automated industrial systems to provide the productivity and safety benefits businesses want, they must support features like low power operation, low data latency, high availability, and real-time processing.

“The Automate solution stack offers a quick and easy way for developers to create industrial systems that leverage these features to support emerging technologies like predictive maintenance.”

Lattice says the Automate stack offers reference designs and software tools for the rapid development of popular industrial applications, including:

• Scalable Motor Control – accelerates development of flexible motor control systems, including a GUI-based user interface for system monitoring and control.
• Predictive Maintenance – minimizes machine downtime by monitoring multiple motors in a system.
• Embedded Real-time Networking – implements an extensible sense and control system for a large number of devices using a Lattice Nexus FPGA as the central controller.
• Cyber Resiliency – enables a hardware Root-of-Trust that can detect, protect, and recover from a firmware-based attack in real time.
• Easy-to-use Software Design Methodology – the stack supports Lattice Propel for simplifying development of industrial automation systems with software/hardware co-processing using an embedded RISC-V processor.