Electronic Design recently featured an article by Red Pitaya CTO Črt Valentinčič examining how microcontrollers and single-board computers can be combined with FPGA-based instrumentation to perform high-speed RF measurements, signal generation, and automated testing.
The article shows how platforms such as Arduino, Arduino Opta, and Raspberry Pi can control advanced measurement hardware through standard interfaces like SCPI and UART. By offloading high-speed signal acquisition and processing to FPGA-based instruments, engineers can build sophisticated embedded systems without the complexity of FPGA development.
Through real-world examples including predictive maintenance, industrial automation, and radar research, the article demonstrates how this hybrid approach enables faster prototyping, scalable testing, and research-grade measurement capabilities.
Read the full article on Electronic Design.