Multi-Pico Orchestrator

Build a central FPGA hub that manages multiple Raspberry Pi Picos simultaneously using UART and SPI. This is distributed systems at the hardware level - coordination, data routing, and real-time orchestration.

scheduleTime

12-15 hours including integration testing

bar_chartDifficulty

Advanced

codeCode

~650 lines

schoolWhat You'll Learn

check_circleMulti-device communication architecture
check_circleProtocol multiplexing and routing
check_circleShared bus arbitration
check_circleCommand-response patterns
check_circleReal-time task scheduling in hardware
check_circleSystem integration and testing strategies

constructionWhat You'll Build

build_circleCentral hub controlling 4+ Raspberry Pi Picos
build_circleDual-protocol router (UART + SPI)
build_circleCommand distribution and response aggregation
build_circleDevice health monitoring and recovery
build_circleA distributed sensor network
build_circleSynchronized multi-device operations

settingsTechnical Details

Modules

pico_orchestrator.vuart_mux.vspi_mux.vcommand_router.vdevice_manager.v

Key Concepts

Bus arbitrationRound-robin schedulingCommand queuesDevice addressingDistributed systems

Synthesis

Manages up to 8 devices, 100k messages/second throughput

publicReal World Application

This architecture mirrors industrial IoT gateways, robotics coordination systems, and smart building controllers. You're building the same patterns used in Tesla factories and AWS data centers.

checklistPrerequisites

arrow_rightUART and SPI mastery
arrow_rightMODBUS understanding
arrow_rightSystem architecture thinking
arrow_rightDebugging complex interactions

arrow_forwardNext Steps

This integration project prepares you for the ultimate challenge: Week 12's RISC-V soft core with Rust firmware.