ÐField-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are large, fast integrated circuitsÐthat can be modified, or configured, almost at any point by the end user. Within the domain of configurable computing, we distinguish between two modes of configurability: staticÐwhere the configurable processor's configuration string is loaded once at the outset, after which it does not change during execution of the task at hand, and dynamicÐwhere the processor's configuration may change at any moment. This paper describes four applications in the domain of configurable computing, considering both static and dynamic systems, including: SPYDER (a reconfigurable processor development system), RENCO (a reconfigurable network computer), Firefly (an evolving machine), and the BioWatch (a self-repairing watch). While static configurability mainly aims at attaining the classical computing goal of improving performance, dynamic configurability might bring about an entirely new breed of hardware devicesÐones that are able to adapt within dynamic environments.

No abstract

In the early 1950s, John von Neumann designed a cellular automaton implementing a universal self-replicating structure. More than 40 years after his death, the first hardware implementation of von Neumann's transition rule is presented. Unfortunately, this implementation only allows small systems to be realized, and not the complete structure, which would require 100 000-200 000 cells, according to some estimations. A logic circuit which implements the transition rule and represents a single cell of the array has been developed. The applications of this implementation lie mainly in the pedagogical domain. It can be used as a demonstration tool for courses on cellular automata.

No abstract

No abstract