Elektronaut Blog

January 4, 2026 | FPGA

Driving Full-HD Video with the Cologne Chip GateMate FPGA

Note: All project files are available on GitHub: Hardware Design and FPGA HDL Sources. Cologne Chip is a refreshing newcomer to the FPGA market. Their first FPGA device, the GateMate, offers a compelling middle ground for developers: it provides a respectable amount of logic resources at a highly competitive price point

November 2, 2025 | Software

Using Rust on the RP2040-Zero

The RP2040-Zero is a fantastic piece of hardware. These little boards pack the dual-core RP2040 MCU into an incredibly small and affordable package, making them ideal for any small electronics project where space is critical. If you’re looking to pair this tiny hardware with the safety and performance of Rust,

October 10, 2025 | Electronics, FPGA

Solving the iCE40 / FT4222HQ Boot Conflict

I’ve been working on a project using Lattice’s iCE40 Ultra FPGAs, and they’re a fascinating platform. The iCE40 series stands out for its low cost, though you do trade off with available FPGA resources. Crucially for open-source enthusiasts, they are fully supported by the excellent Yosys and NextPNR open-source toolchains

October 10, 2025 | Other

The Start of a New Blog

Welcome! For years, I’ve been working deep inside the world of embedded systems, dealing with everything from high-speed silicon to low-level code. Now, I’m launching this space to share the practical lessons and insights I’ve gathered along the way. This blog is a place to document the real-world experiences, technical