Applied VHDL training methodology, EDA framework and hardware implementation platform

Provision of free, downloadable industry-standard reconfigurable hardware EDA tools is a growing and welcome trend. Low cost, ever-more-complex FPGA-based embedded system development platforms with host interface control are becoming more readily available. This paper describes a series of structured VHDL workshop modules which use the Xilinx ISE Webpack / ModelsimXE Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools and Digilent Spartan-3 hardware development system. The described course implements an extendable embedded system, which performs a selection of image and audio processing applications, controlled by a host Graphical User Interface (GUI). A formal structured design, documentation and test methodology is incorporated throughout the course, Enhancements to EDA tool VHDL and diagram creation wizard support are proposed to aid VHDL capture automation and design visualisation. Improved student understanding and achievement level in VHDL programming, digital embedded system design techniques and FPGA implementation has resulted.