Remote FPGA Labs and Online Learning of Digital Systems

FPL 2014, TU Munich, Friday 5th September 2014

viciLogic online learning, assessment and FPGA remote/local prototyping platform

• viciLearn is a scalable online learning and assessment for digital systems and computer architecture education.

• viciLab is an FPGA prototyping platform, supporting remote and local FPGA implementation, with GUI console toolsuite support.

viciLogic Tutorial Description (3x30 minute modules)

• viciLearn online learning and assessment platform

  Using the viciLearn technology enhanced learning platform to follow a hands-on series of combinational and sequential logic lessons, interacting transparently with a user-specific remote FPGA. Automatic probing of design internal signals provides user interactive control and animation of component block diagrams, timing diagrams, state machines and truth tables to enhance learning, and perform automatic knowledge checks.

• viciLab remote/local FPGA prototyping platform, with GUI console toolsuite support.

  • Interactive client-based FPGA prototype demos with interactive GUI

    • Combinational logic components
    • Sequential logic components (counter, multiplier)
    • Single Cycle Processor architecture
    • Image processing application with webcam image capture interface
  • Creating and implementing a digital logic component application and GUI console. The viciLab tools perform automated creation of the remote/local design FPGA bitstream from a VHDL model description, and perform remote or local Nexys3 module Xilinx Spartan-6 FPGA configuration.

• User-specific real-time FPGA application development with interactive control/visualisation console.