(SPIDER Automation) Muse Lab iCESugar | iCE40UP5K Open Source RISC-V FPGA Development Board with iCELink Debugger & 8MB Flash

SPIDER Automation Muse Lab iCESugar iCE40UP5K Open Source RISC-V FPGA Board | iCELink Debugger & 8MB Flash | For Open-Source Hardware Prototyping

Description

SPIDER Automation Muse Lab iCESugar FPGA Development Board is an exquisite, highly integrated open-source platform powered by the Lattice iCE40UP5K chip. Designed for developers, hobbyists, and researchers embracing completely open-source toolchains, the iCESugar delivers a seamless workflow from HDL code to physical hardware implementation. Despite its compact, coin-sized appearance, it is packed with rich peripheral resources including onboard RGB LEDs, user switches, and Type-C USB connectivity.

Setting a new standard for ease of use, the board includes an integrated “iCELink” debugger built on ARM Mbed DAPLink technology. This eliminates the need for complicated programmer setups by supporting drag-and-drop flashing—simply drop your compiled FPGA bitstream onto the virtual drive. Complete with 8MB of SPI Flash memory, 128KB SPRAM, and standard PMOD connectors, the iCESugar provides an exceptional, portable ecosystem for RISC-V softcore development and digital logic experimentation.

Key Features

• Lattice iCE40UP5K FPGA Core: Industry-standard open-source FPGA featuring 5,280 logic cells (LUTs) and embedded PLL/PWM blocks.
• 128KB Single-Port RAM (SPRAM): High-speed internal memory dedicated to soft-core microprocessors and local data buffering.
• Integrated iCELink Debugger: Powered by ARM Mbed DAPLink supporting drag-and-drop programming, virtual COM port, and JTAG.
• 8MB SPI Flash Storage: Non-volatile memory supporting Dual SPI, Quad SPI, and QPI high-speed transfer modes.
• 100% Open-Source Toolchain Support: Fully compatible with modern open toolsets including Yosys, nextpnr, and icestorm.
• Standard PMOD Connectors: Neatly breaks out nearly all FPGA I/O lines for connecting displays, sensors, and wireless shields.
• Onboard User Peripherals: Features integrated RGB LEDs and tactile user switches for instant visual and manual feedback.
• Modern Type-C USB Interface: Reliable connection for power, data communication, and virtual disk flashing.
• Ultra-Compact Form Factor: Exquisite miniature layout optimized for space-constrained and wearable embedded projects.
• Plug-and-Play Kit: Ships complete with a matching USB cable for immediate out-of-the-box development.

Benefits

• Zero-Driver Drag-and-Drop Flashing: Flash bitstreams instantly by dragging files onto a virtual USB drive without installing vendor software.
• Completely Proprietary-Free Workflow: Build and test digital designs entirely using open-source toolchains, bypassing expensive licensing constraints.
• RISC-V Softcore Ready: 128KB SPRAM and flexible logic cells provide an ideal environment for running RV32I RISC-V soft microcontrollers.
• Highly Portable Prototyping: Compact dimensions allow the board to be easily embedded directly into custom project enclosures or test rigs.
• Broad Hardware Compatibility: Standard PMOD layout ensures seamless integration with hundreds of existing sensor and peripheral modules.

Applications

• Open-Source FPGA Education: Ideal learning platform for universities and hobbyists exploring hardware description languages without bulky software suites.
• RISC-V Microcontroller Prototyping: Building custom low-power soft-core processors utilizing open-source processor architectures.
• Portable IoT Edge Nodes: Compact smart devices requiring custom hardware logic acceleration in a miniature footprint.
• Rapid Digital Logic Prototyping: Fast verification of combinational logic, state machines, and custom peripheral communication protocols.

Package Includes

• 1 x Muse Lab iCESugar FPGA Development Board
• 1 x USB Cable

Technical Specifications