The processor itself is connected to various peripherals such as memories, Analog to Digital converters, and other I/O devices. For such systems, control algorithms are implemented as software programs that execute on a fixed architecture hardware processor. Embedded control systems typically use microprocessors, microcontrollers or Digital Signal Processors (DSPs) for their implementation. As a case study, this paper presents how the tools can be utilized to develop a FPGA-based controller for a laboratory scale air levitation system.Įmbedded control systems are found in a wide range of applications such as consumer electronics, medical equipment, robotics, automotive products, and industrial processes ( Chan, Moallem, & Wang, 2007). The capability of DSP Builder is extended by developing a custom library of control system building blocks that facilitates rapid development of FPGA-based controllers in the familiar Matlab/Simulink environment. This paper illustrates development of FPGA-based controllers by utilizing popular tools such as MATLAB/Simulink available for the design and development of control systems. Traditional FPGA design flows and tools, requiring the use of Hardware Description Languages (HDLs), are in a different domain than standard control system design tools such as MATLAB/Simulink. As reconfigurable devices, they can be used to build the hardware and software components of an embedded system on a single chip. FPGAs offer advantages such as high performance and concurrent computing which makes them attractive in many embedded applications. Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are emerging as suitable platforms for implementing embedded control systems.

Parallel to serial simulink