## Computing Fixed-Point Square Roots and Their Reciprocals Using Goldschmidt Algorithm

June 14, 2020
Introduction

A well known algorithm for computing square roots by iteration is provided by the Newton-Raphson Algorithm. The algorithm determines the square root using iteration until the root has been determined to some user-defined level of accuracy. The method is easily derived. First, describe a number in terms of its square root:

$$a = y ^ {2} ,$$

where $y = \sqrt{a}$. The value of the $\sqrt{a}$ can be written as $y = y_0 + \epsilon$, where $y_0$ is the value of the square root and...

## Cutting a Path Forward

April 4, 20183 comments
Introduction

As a newcomer to the community, I thought I would start off by introducing myself, and give a little information about what has drawn me to start working with FPGAs.

My day job is as a professional software developer:  Figure out what people want; figure out how to make it happen (if possible); and then wrangle code, databases, networks, and servers into giving the correct responses or actions as necessary.

By night, however, I've been working on my...

## An absolute position encoder VHDL core

November 11, 2015
Introduction

Let's consider motorized systems controlled by electronics. A closed loop architecture looks like this:

The following components are involved:

• the motor itself (DC, stepper ...),
• the controller, in charge of computing position according to the whole system state,
• the driver board in charge of generating signals and power for the motor,
• the position encoder, the subject of this post.

Most of the time, there is a difference between the position the system...

## An absolute position encoder VHDL core

November 11, 2015
Introduction

Let's consider motorized systems controlled by electronics. A closed loop architecture looks like this:

The following components are involved:

• the motor itself (DC, stepper ...),
• the controller, in charge of computing position according to the whole system state,
• the driver board in charge of generating signals and power for the motor,
• the position encoder, the subject of this post.

Most of the time, there is a difference between the position the system...

## Cutting a Path Forward

April 4, 20183 comments
Introduction

As a newcomer to the community, I thought I would start off by introducing myself, and give a little information about what has drawn me to start working with FPGAs.

My day job is as a professional software developer:  Figure out what people want; figure out how to make it happen (if possible); and then wrangle code, databases, networks, and servers into giving the correct responses or actions as necessary.

By night, however, I've been working on my...

## Computing Fixed-Point Square Roots and Their Reciprocals Using Goldschmidt Algorithm

June 14, 2020
Introduction

A well known algorithm for computing square roots by iteration is provided by the Newton-Raphson Algorithm. The algorithm determines the square root using iteration until the root has been determined to some user-defined level of accuracy. The method is easily derived. First, describe a number in terms of its square root:

$$a = y ^ {2} ,$$

where $y = \sqrt{a}$. The value of the $\sqrt{a}$ can be written as $y = y_0 + \epsilon$, where $y_0$ is the value of the square root and...