Electronics > FPGA

FPGA in a toothbrush?

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NiHaoMike:
https://hackaday.com/2023/05/18/toothbrush-speed-controller-secrets-revealed/
Obviously a very tiny FPGA, buy why that instead of a microcontroller?

Whales:
Possibly their goal was a custom ASIC and massive manufacture quantity, but perhaps either their quantity changed or they couldn't secure an ASIC contract?  If the product succeeds in the market they might try harder to get an ASIC instead?

Someone:
Not sure many people would call a GreenPak device an FPGA, they're cheaper than microcontrollers and have a fairly limited count of primitives. Its pretty much what you'd expect for a simple toothbrush where all you need is some power conversion and a timer or two.

SiliconWizard:

--- Quote from: Someone on May 20, 2023, 04:19:24 am ---Not sure many people would call a GreenPak device an FPGA, they're cheaper than microcontrollers and have a fairly limited count of primitives. Its pretty much what you'd expect for a simple toothbrush where all you need is some power conversion and a timer or two.

--- End quote ---

Agreed. It's mixed-signal too, something that a "regular" FPGA *usually* isn't. (Well, it has analog comparators, not much but again most FPGAs do not embed such things.) It's cheap but its simplicity is also a nice feature.

No software => usually fewer problems.

AK6DN:

--- Quote from: Whales on May 20, 2023, 03:33:50 am ---Possibly their goal was a custom ASIC and massive manufacture quantity, but perhaps either their quantity changed or they couldn't secure an ASIC contract?  If the product succeeds in the market they might try harder to get an ASIC instead?

--- End quote ---

I can buy a reel of GreenPAK SLG47513 parts for US$0.46 each.
So spending big bucks to make an ASIC is not a wise choice.
At best you could save about US$0.45 per unit, if you got the ASIC cost down to US$0.01.
Sometimes making an ASIC is the wise thing NOT to do.

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