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Software Algorithms Compile Easily for VMETRO FPGA PMC Module via New Impulse C Integration

HOUSTON-(Business Wire)-October 2, 2008 - VMETRO and Impulse Accelerated Technologies, Inc. today announced their first collaborative integration enabling software engineers to easily interface C code to FPGA hardware and firmware components on a widely used VMETRO FPGA PMC module. This integration provides C callable FPGA interfaces to the PMC firmware components, including QDR SRAM, DDR2 SDRAM and the PCI bus. In support of VMETRO’s installed base, the initial Impulse C support for VMETRO PMC boards targets the PMC-FPGA02, a Xilinx^® Virtex^®-II FPGA PMC. Integration with VMETRO’s Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA-based products will follow.

The integration of Impulse C™ with VMETRO PMC modules allows application developers to focus on their algorithms, rather than on the details of hardware and firmware integration. Instead of working at a low level in VHDL, these developers are able to interface hardware algorithms expressed in C directly to firmware components using C-language function calls. The ability to use a high-level front-end FPGA development tool decreases the dependence on FPGA development expertise for algorithm development, allowing FPGA hardware developers to focus on back-end optimizations and custom hardware interfaces.

“C is a much better fit than VHDL for DSP algorithm development,” said David Barker, VP of Marketing at VMETRO. “Faster development and being able to use C programmers will especially benefit prototyping, research and IRAD projects. With the Impulse C integration, VMETRO’s FPGA boards are now accessible to a whole new set of engineers – targeting algorithms no longer requires HDL experts.”

According to David Pellerin, CTO of Impulse, “The combination of Impulse C with VMETRO FPGA PMC modules provides an alternative for developers of high performance DSP algorithms. Software developers in many domains, DSP included, are learning the value of using FPGAs for algorithm acceleration.”

About VMETRO

VMETRO (OSE:VME) provides commercial-off-the-shelf board- and system-level embedded computer products from development to deployment for applications in Aerospace & Defense, Industrial, Communications, Medical, Enterprise Computing and Network Storage. Our products offer the highest levels of performance, innovation and reliability by applying state-of-the-art technology within the framework of well established industry standards. VMETRO is a leading supplier of Embedded Computing, Data Recorders & Storage, Protocol & Bus Analyzers and Network Storage devices. For more information, please visit www.vmetro.com.

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