When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
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Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
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There are 4 modules in this course
This course will give you hands-on FPGA design experience that uses all the concepts and skills you have developed up to now. You will need to purchase a DE10-Lite development kit. You will setup and test the MAX10 DE10-Lite board using the FPGA design tool Quartus Prime and the System Builder.
You will:
Design and test a Binary Coded Decimal Adder.
Design and test a PWM Circuit, with verification by simulation.
Design and test an ADC circuit, using Quartus Prime built-in tools to verify your circuit design.
Create hardware for the NIOS II soft processor, including many interfaces, using Qsys (Platform Designer). Instantiate this design into a top-level DE10-Lite HDL file.
Compile your completed hardware using Quartus Prime.
Enhance and test a working design, using most aspects of the Quartus Prime Design Flow and the NIOS II Software Build Tools (SBT) for Eclipse.
Create software for the NIOS II soft processor, including many interfaces, using Qsys (Platform Designer) and the SBT.
Compile your completed software using the SBT.
Use Quartus Prime to program both the FPGA hardware configuration and software code in you DE10-Lite development kit.
Record all your observations in a lab notebook pdf.
Submit your project files and lab notebook for grading.
This course consists of 4 modules, approximately 1 per week for 4 weeks. Each module will include an hour or less of video lectures, plus reading assignments, discussion prompts, and project assignment that involves creating hardware and/or software in the FPGA.
This course includes specific hardware and software requirements. Please review the FAQ below for complete details.
In this module you will begin your hands-on exploration of FPGA design by setting up a target board, the DE10-Lite based on the MAX10 Intel Altera FPGA. In this module you will
Setup and test the MAX10 board using the FPGA design tool Quartus Prime and the System Builder.
Design and test a Binary Coded Decimal Adder Record all your observations in a lab notebook pdf.
Submit your project files and lab notebook for grading.
Completing this module will help prepare you for the work to be done in the modules that follow.
FPGA Capstone: Building FPGA Projects Course Introduction•3 minutes
Capstone Project: Starting FPGA Design•2 minutes
Board Setup and Test•2 minutes
Expected Outcomes for Module 1•5 minutes
Tips for Success•4 minutes
7 readings•Total 91 minutes
Course Updates and Accessibility Support•1 minute
Non-Credit Students: Welcome and Where to Find Help•10 minutes
Hardware & Software Requirements•10 minutes
How to Purchase the DE10-Lite Development Kit•10 minutes
FPGA Captstone: Building FPGA Projects Assessment Strategy•10 minutes
Module 1 Project Guide•30 minutes
Lab Notebook Template•20 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Module 1 Quiz•30 minutes
6 programming assignments•Total 390 minutes
Module 1 Project: Altera MAX10 Hardware Setup•90 minutes
C4M1P1•60 minutes
C4M1P2•90 minutes
C4M1P3•60 minutes
C4M1P4•60 minutes
C4M1P5•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Module 1 Lab Notebook•60 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
Introduce Yourself•10 minutes
Develop a Mixed Signal System
Module 2•8 hours to complete
Module details
The goal of this module is to develop a mixed-signal system. You will construct hardware that uses the Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) inputs and Pulse Width Modulate (PWM) outputs to make a voltage measuring instrument. In this module you will
Create a working design, using most aspects of the Quartus Prime Design Flow.
Design and test a PWM Circuit, with verification by simulation.
Design and test an ADC circuit, using Quartus Prime built-in tools to verify your circuit design.
Record all your observations in a lab notebook pdf.
Submit your project files and lab notebook for grading.
Completing this module will help prepare you for the work to be done in the modules that follow.
The goal of this module is to develop the hardware for a System on a Chip (SoC). You will construct hardware that creates a NIOS II soft processor along with several interfaces to devices on the DE10-Lite development kit. In this module you will
Create a working design, using most aspects of the Quartus Prime Design Flow.
Create hardware for the NIOS II soft processor, including many interfaces, using Qsys (Platform Builder). Instantiate this design into a top-level DE10-Lite HDL file.
Compile your completed hardware using Quartus Prime.
Record all your observations in a lab notebook.
Submit your project files and lab notebook for grading.
Completing this module will provide a platform for the work to be done in the module that follows.
The goal of this module is to develop the software for a System on a Chip (SoC). You will build software for a NIOS II soft processor you built in Module 3, using several interfaces to devices on the DE10-Lite development kit as well. In this module you will
Enhance and test a working design, using most aspects of the Quartus Prime Design Flow and the NIOS II Software Build Tools (SBT) for Eclipse.
Create software for the NIOS II soft processor, including many interfaces, using Qsys (Platform Builder) and the SBT.
Compile your completed software using the SBT.
Use Quartus Prime to program both the FPGA hardware configuration and software code in you DE10-Lite development kit. You will then test your new embedded system.
Record all your observations in a lab notebook pdf.
Submit your project files and lab notebook for grading.
Completing this module will finish your work for this course.
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Build toward a degree
This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Colorado Boulder. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹
View eligible degrees
Build toward a degree
This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Colorado Boulder. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹
¹Successful application and enrollment are required. Eligibility requirements apply. Each institution determines the number of credits recognized by completing this content that may count towards degree requirements, considering any existing credits you may have. Click on a specific course for more information.
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What are the hardware and software requirements for this course?
System Requirements
● Computer capable of running the required FPGA development tools
● Supported operating systems
● Windows 10 or 11
● Recent Linux OS (for example RHEL 6.5, CentOS 6.5 or later), either native or in a virtual machine under Windows 8 or 10
● At least 8 GB of RAM
● At least 20 GB of free disk space to download and install Quartus Prime Lite 16.1, ModelSim 16.1, programmer tools, and course project files
Hardware Requirements
The DE10-Lite board is required because this course includes hardware-based implementation and testing that cannot be completed through simulation alone.
Ability to install the following FPGA development tools provided in the course (Windows versions):
● Quartus Prime Lite Edition 16.1
● ModelSim Intel FPGA Edition 16.1
● Quartus Programmer and device support files (MAX 10 and Cyclone device families)
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.