Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field-programmable_gate_array#Applications Applications of F !

As include digital signal processing" software-defined radio" AS#$ prototyping" medical imaging" computer %ision" speech recognition" cryptography" bioinformatics" computer hardware emulation" radio astronomy" metal detection and a growing range of other areas. F !As originally began as competitors to $ &'s and competed in a similar space" that of glue logic for $(s. As their si)e" capabilities" and speed increased" they began to take o%er larger and larger functions to the state where some are now marketed as full systems on chips *So$+. articularly with the introduction of dedicated multipliers into F !A architectures in the late ,--.s" applications which had traditionally been the sole reser%e of 'S s began to incorporate F !As instead./012/032 4raditionally" F !As ha%e been reser%ed for specific %ertical applications where the %olume of production is small. For these low-%olume applications" the premium that companies pay in hardware costs per unit for a programmable chip is more affordable than the de%elopment resources spent on creating an AS#$ for a low-%olume application. 4oday" new cost and performance dynamics ha%e broadened the range of %iable applications. Common FPGA Applications Aerospace and Defense A%ionics/'5-067 $ommunications 8issiles 9 8unitions Secure Solutions Space ASIC Prototyping Audio $onnecti%ity Solutions ortable :lectronics ;adio 'igital Signal rocessing *'S + Automotive <igh ;esolution =ideo #mage rocessing =ehicle >etworking and $onnecti%ity Automoti%e #nfotainment Broadcast ;eal-4ime =ideo :ngine :dge?A8 :ncoders 'isplays Switches and ;outers Consumer Electronics 'igital 'isplays 'igital $ameras 8ulti-function rinters ortable :lectronics

 Set-top (o@es Distributed Monetary Systems 4ransaction %erification (it$oin 8ining Data Center Ser%ers Security ;outers Switches !ateways ig! Performance Computing Ser%ers Super $omputers <igh-end ;A'A;S <igh-end (eam Forming Systems 'ata 8ining Systems Industrial #ndustrial #maging #ndustrial >etworking 8otor $ontrol Medical Altrasound $4 Scanner 8;# B-ray Surgical Systems Security #ndustrial #maging Secure Solutions #mage rocessing "ideo # Image Processing <igh ;esolution =ideo =ideo 5%er # !ateway 'igital 'isplays #ndustrial #maging $ired Communications 5ptical 4ransport >etworks >etwork rocessing $onnecti%ity #nterfaces $ireless Communications (aseband $onnecti%ity #nterfaces

 8obile (ackhaul ;adio