Reconfigurable Computing

Preface

In the two decades since field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) were introduced, they have radically changed the way digital logic is designed and deployed. By marrying the high performance of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and the flexibility of microprocessors, FPGAs have made possible entirely new types of applications. This has helped FPGAs supplant both ASICs and digital signal processors (DSPs) in some traditional roles.

To make the most of this unique combination of performance and flexibility, designers need to be aware of both hardware and software issues. Thus, an FPGA user must think not only about the gates needed to perform a computation but also about the software flow that supports the design process. The ...