[neomantra]

Cypress PSocs [1] were super fun to use. Visually interconnecting PWM, ADC, DAC, OpAmp/comparator blocks and then accessing the "pins" in C code... It's like Arduino but you get to also compose the analog side. Back then it was an 24 MHz 8-bit controller, now it looks like they have some muscle in them.

PSOCs are very useful for things that interface with the world -- for example, they were used in the iPod touch wheel ... I've used them to make:

* hearing research devices (some filters in the analog side of the device)

* wearable DJ system (MIDI, ADC/DAC for controls, some PWM, some analog synth, capacitive sensing)

* smart sex toys (ADC/DAC/PWM, some filtering, capacitive sensing)

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypress_PSoC

[pclmulqdq]

Microchip has been copying Cypress in new ATSAM* microcontrollers, with op-amps and comparators on the chip. I think this is about as far as programmable analog circuits will get in mainstream applications. Just adjust your signal to a good amplitude for an ADC, and do everything else digitally.

[nereye]

See also https://anadigm.com/ (which styles itself as "The FPAA Company" where 'FPAA' is Field Programmable Analog Array) and https://www.dialog-semiconductor.com/products/greenpak (GreenPAK™ originated with Silego Technology, which Dialog bought in 2017, Dialog itself is now part of Renesas as of last year).

The GreenPAK line includes a variety of ICs, some of them are more like traditional FPGAs and some have analog components too.

[simne]

PSOCs are cool, but extremely expensive, and their analog performance is moderate.

- Their analog performance is enough for simple hobbyists projects, but for commercial, need something with much more precision - 18 bit or more.