The concept of a field-programmable-ANALOG-array (FPAA) bubbles up to the surface every once in a while. I think it's a neat idea with some interesting use-cases.

Motorola had an FPAA product back in the 90's, but it never gained market traction and was aimed primarily at education.

I wonder now that FPGA's have gotten so powerful and large if it isn't possible to just simulate specific analog parts and "wire" them together into "analog circuits" to rapidly prototype analog designs? This would be different from simulation on a computer because the simulated analog FPGA circuit could actually be used, evaluated and tweaked in the field. Then, when the design is mature one could realize it using actual analog components.

I know slightly more than nothing about analog/digital signal processing, so I get your point about the ZRNA probably not being the savior of the analog signal world...

That being said, you underestimate the "Blinkenlight crowd". There are not only hobbyists, but also researchers, who do not have years of EE education and experience, but want/need to cobble together hardware and software to do their research. Preferably without going back to school for a couple of years.

I can totally see where the ZRNA might save you some time. It's often not at all that easy to vary signal processing parameters across or within experiments.

When you look at an art form like "blinkenlights" and see exclusively meaningless junks and technobabble, don't see it as a failure. See it as an opportunity.