Reconfigurable computing

Important Links:

• HiPEAC Reconfigurable Computing cluster site
• HiPEAC Reconfigurable Computing wikipage

Research challenge:

Reconfigurable Computing (RC) is gaining popularity in many different domains. The main advantage of such systems is that they can adapt to static and dynamic application requirements better than those with fixed hardware: for instance encryption designs can often run thousands of times faster (and orders of a magnitude more power efficient) on a single RC device than in software on a powerful mainframe. The research challenges range from technology and architecture, through design tools/methodologies and up to novel programming paradigms, RC-aware runtime systems and compilers. All these challenges can be only attacked in a holistic approach by involving and bringing together Europe’s best HW designers, computer architects, compiler and CAD designers and high-level algorithm developers working on this topic. Only by creating such critical mass, Europe can maintain its leading research position on Reconfigurable Computing.

Initial research topics:

• RC architecture and micro architecture;
• RC design tools and tool flows;
• Runtime and real-time RC systems;
• RC novel programming paradigms;
• Energy efficient RC computation;
• RC enabled application domains.

Planned activities:

• Workshops and seminars.
• Organization of the major RC conferences in Europe (FPL, FPT, FCCM, FPGA).
• Actively promote high-quality publications by the members.
• Promote collaboration with top groups outside the EU working on the topic.

Coordinating partner: TUD