The Kolibri FPGA USB Dongle – Seamlessly Connecting and Expanding with Machdyne’s Ecosystem

The Machdyne FPGA USB dongle, known as Kolibri, is a compact device that combines different technologies to offer versatile functionality. It includes the Lattice iCE40 FPGA, a RP2040 microcontroller, and a 12-pin PMOD connector for additional I/O expansion.

The Lattice iCE40 FPGA in the Kolibri is the ICE40HX4K model, boasting 7680 Look-Up Tables (LUTs) and 2 Phase-Locked Loops (PLLs) for robust performance. The device also comes with 1MB SPI NOR Flash, storing gateware (configuration data for the FPGA), and 32MB PSRAM for additional memory.

In addition to the FPGA, Kolibri features the RP2040 microcontroller, equipped with dual 32-bit ARM Cortex M0+ cores. This microcontroller comes with 1MB QSPI NOR Flash for firmware storage and provides 8 GPIOs connected to the FPGA, allowing seamless communication between the two components.

The Kolibri USB dongle is designed to be user-friendly and is compatible with the Open Source Project IceStorm. This means that developers and hobbyists can leverage open-source resources to enhance and customize the functionality of the device. The combination of FPGA and microcontroller capabilities makes Kolibri a versatile tool for various applications, offering a balance of processing power and I/O expansion options in a compact form factor. The Kolibri USB dongle’s product page highlights its unique features. The RP2040 MCU enables programming of the FPGA SRAM and onboard flash over the USB connection using ldprog. Additionally, the USB connection functions as a USB-UART bridge to the FPGA.

On the Kolibri GitHub repository, you’ll find schematics, documentation, example gateware, and a 3D-printable case model. The RP2040 firmware, based on Müsli, initializes the system and sets the default system clock to 48MHz.

Kolibri also supports Zucker, an experimental System-on-a-Chip (SOC) for Lone Dynamics FPGA computers. Zucker provides a RISC-V CPU (PicoRV32), a simple GPU, memory controllers, a keyboard controller, and a UART. More details can be found in the Zucker GitHub repository.

Specifications

• Lattice ICE40HX4K FPGA
  • 7680 LUTs when using open-source tools
  • 2 PLLs
• 8Mbit (1MB) SPI NOR Flash (for gateware)
• 256Mbit (32MB) OPI PSRAM
• 1 12-pin Digilent Pmod™ compatible expansion port
• 1 white LED
• RP2040 MCU (Dual 32-bit ARM Cortex M0+)
  • 8Mbit (1MB) QSPI NOR Flash (for firmware)
  • 1 button for boot mode selection
  • 8 GPIOs routed to FPGA
  • USB Type-A male plug
• 32mm x 16mm board dimensions (~56mm total length)

The Kolibri FPGA Dongle is available for purchase at $49.95 from the Machdyne online store. This compact device offers a range of I/O options and compatibility with other Machdyne products, making it a versatile solution for various applications.

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