Provided are a real-time low speed detection device and method based on DSP quadrature encoding. The device comprises a pulse encoder, a signal conditioning circuit, a quadrature encoding module and a processor. The pulse encoder outputs difference pulse signals Ao, difference pulse signals Bo and difference pulse signals Co, the pulse signals Ao, the pulse signals Bo and the pulse signals Co, output from the pulse encoder, are input to three input ends of the quadrature encoding module respectively through the signal conditioning circuit, and the four output ends of the quadrature encoding module are respectively connected with the processor. The device and method have the advantages that by the adoption of the technical scheme, calculation of the rotating speed is faster, meanwhile interruption and a DSP internal counter are adopted in the whole calculation mode, and CPU time is not occupied; meanwhile, the mode of the rotating speed is used, so detection at a high speed, at a low speed and at an ultralow speed can be achieved at the same time, and the former method of calculation of the rotating speed can be completely replaced; in addition, the method has continuity and timeliness of calculated quantity, encapsulation of functions can be conducted, and modularized processing of software is facilitated.