Altera® FPGA-Based System on Modules (SoMs)

Accelerate time-to-market, reduce development risk, and extend product life with Altera® FPGA-based SoMs. They provide exceptional flexibility, long product life, and the unique ability to adapt as standards and requirements evolve without needing to redesign the physical hardware.

Why Use an Altera® FPGA-Based SoM?

The SoM market is growing at a rapid pace, and is enabling a wider range of users to adopt FPGA-based platforms than ever before. Intel® and Altera® FPGA partners provide a broad range of SoM offerings to meet your end customer's requirements. Our global partner ecosystem offers choices in-processor architecture (x86, Arm, or Nios®), performance, and density ranges of FPGA fabric. Our partners now offer SoMs powered by the Agilex™ 5 FPGA E-Series, which extends the innovations of the Agilex™ FPGA portfolio to mid-range FPGAs.

Read the Agilex 5 SoM solution brief

Fast Time-to-Market

Many SoMs are available with a validated BSP (board support package) and design examples that can help you get started quickly. Also, with SoMs you can develop application software on the same production-ready hardware that you develop on, without needing to port your design from a development kit.

Low Risk

Using a SoM reduces risks associated with design, verification, and board bring up. Using a standard, proven SoM product reduces the complexity of board design, meaning complex PCB design and verification isn’t needed. With SoMs, component sourcing is simplified, leading to more predictable design-cycles and business results.

Versatile Design

From a broad Altera® FPGA Partner offering, you can select a SoM to meet your end customer’s requirements. These FPGA-based SoMs allow you to adapt to evolving requirements by using reprogrammable hardware with custom carrier boards. This allows for lower development effort compared to a full hardware redesign from scratch.

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Applications

FPGA-based SoMs are widely adopted in many applications due to their adaptable architecture and ease-of-use design.

Choose a Partner SoM

Industrial PC, Factory Automation, Control System, and Machine Vision

  • Available arm processor subsystems support legacy industrial code
  • Support multiple new and legacy industrial-networking protocols
  • Diverse I/O for multiple sensor fusion applications, including industrial camera interfaces
  • Long product life-cycle support (>10 years)

Surveillance, Broadcast Equipment and Retail Applications

  • Flexible low latency Video & Vision IP
  • 600 MHz performance providing an easy path to 4K & 8K video designs
  • Diverse Speed and Power grade options
  • Hardened MIPI D-PHY with soft CSI-2 Rx & Tx & DSI-2 Tx

Networking and Communication Equipment

  • 25G Serdes meets network demands and adapts to evolving network protocols
  • Adapts to evolving communication protocols
  • Integrated DSP Tensor blocks support unique implementations of AI/ML
  • Low power and thermals improve legacy product refreshes for coprocessing, board control, and IO expansion

Medical and Healthcare Equipment

  • Long product life ( > 15 years)
  • Robust video and image pipeline and connectivity IP portfolio
  • Fast time to market

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Radar Systems, Software Defined Radio, Cyber Security System

  • Fast time to market
  • Robust video and image pipeline and connectivity IP portfolio

High Performance Computing and Scientific Research System

Adapts to evolving network protocols

Increase revenue generating capacity by offloading the host CPU with network functions implemented in the FPGA

Test and Measurement Equipment

  • Support for latest connectivity standards including hardened MIPI D-phy
  • Hardened DDR5/LPDDR5 controller
  • Built-in IO delay for ATE applications

Consumer Devices

  • Long product life (>10 years)
  • Evolve to changing requirements and standards
  • Customer image transcoding in FPGA
  • Adapts to support new and evolving protocols and standards

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Ready to Get Started

Choose a Partner SoM

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

System on Modules (SoMs) are small, highly integrated single-board computers that include DRAM, flash memory, power management, common interface controllers, and board support package (BSP) software. SoMs help you create a fully customized embedded design without starting from scratch. It is a turn-key hardware solution to address the challenges inherent in developing a product and to meet competitive market demands. Depending on the application, there are many SoM options to choose from. SoMs are available with a diverse range of interconnect options that can be used with a custom, cost-reduced, and application specific baseboard. SoMs are a great vehicle to take advantage of the versatility of an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

Benefits for using SoMs:

  • Faster time to market by off-loading complex board design.
  • Production ready hardware for immediate deployment.
  • Versatile product design and application fit from various partners.
  • Minimize component supplier management.

Intel® and Altera® FPGA partners provide a broad range of SoM offerings to meet your end customer's requirements. Our global partner ecosystem offers choices in-processor architecture (x86, Arm, or Nios®), performance, and density ranges of FPGA fabric. Many SoMs are powered by the Agilex™ 5 FPGA E-Series, which extends the innovations of the Agilex™ FPGA portfolio to mid-range FPGAs.