Linux development framework targets FPGA soft cores

Timesys announced that its LinuxLink development framework now supports Altera's Nios II 32-bit soft RISC processor cores, which are available for Altera's FPGAs. LinuxLink for Nios II includes a board support package (BSP) for Altera's Nios II Embedded Evaluation Kit and Embedded Systems Development Kit, Cyclone III Edition, says Timesys. Altera announced its Nios II 32-bit soft RISC processor cores for the company's field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) in 2004. Supporting uClinux, the upgraded "II" version of the original Nios soft cores targets software-intensive custom processor designs for Altera FPGAs such as its Cyclone III. Like other FPGAs, the Cyclone III is aimed at projects for which application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) would be too costly and time-consuming to produce. Soft cores aim to reduce the... [read full story]                    

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