FPGA Implementation of Educational RISC- V Processor Suitable for Embedded Applications

Learning computer architecture has been a tough task for the learners. Sometimes it is not very effective when an architecture is learnt theoretically. Learning an architecture like RISC-V which has huge industrial interest has an additional benefit. The RISC-V instruction set architecture that is free to use was developed with flexibility and durability in mind. The adaptability of RISC-V enables a wide range of hardware implementations. Interests in Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is growing in recent times due to its feasibility, flexibility and efficiency. In this paper, we implemented an educational processor based on the RISC-V architecture on FPGA with support for interfacing intended for embedded applications. An assembler was also designed and developed which can convert assembly codes into RISC-V standard machine codes that can help the users to operate the CPU easily.