The processor handles software-controlled tasks, while the programmable logic can implement custom circuits and parallel operations. This division lets engineers place flexible or sequential functions in software and move suitable computational work into hardware. Data can pass between the two through on-chip interfaces, supporting coordinated execution rather than treating processing and logic as separate systems.
On-chip interfaces provide the communication path between the Arm processing cores and custom FPGA circuits. Their role matters because a design may divide an application across software and hardware, requiring both sides to exchange data during operation. Efficient coordination supports hardware acceleration, real-time behavior, and heterogeneous computing experiments on a single development platform.
Reconfigurable logic allows engineers to experiment with custom hardware circuits and parallel processing instead of relying exclusively on processor-executed software. This flexibility is valuable when testing accelerators or real-time pipelines, because the hardware portion can be adapted as the design evolves. The approach supports rapid experimentation before an optimized embedded system is deployed.
Functions are candidates for hardware acceleration when the design benefits from custom circuits or parallel processing, while other control-oriented work can remain in software on the Arm cores. Engineers can prototype this division on the Ultra96-v2 FPGA, observe how the combined arrangement supports the application, and refine the allocation during iterative system development.
A project can begin by assigning application tasks between software and programmable logic, then implementing custom hardware for selected functions and coordinating it with processor-based code through on-chip interfaces. Engineers can use the platform to prototype the combined design, test its behavior, and refine the architecture before deploying a more optimized embedded solution.
The platform supports prototyping for embedded systems, hardware accelerators, computer-vision pipelines, and edge-computing applications. Its combination of Arm processing, programmable logic, and reconfigurability also makes it useful for research and teaching. These settings allow engineers and students to investigate parallel processing, real-time control, and heterogeneous computing through practical system development.