The Future of Reconfigurable Systems

In the decade since FPGAs were invented they have created many new opportunities. Perhaps the most exciting is reconfigurable computing. In this paper we present a vision of the next decade of reconfigurable computing. FPGA architectures will support millions of gates on a chip, requiring the integration of FPGAs with CPUs, DSPs, and SRAMs. Reconfigurable computing specific architectural features will be developed, though their place in the commercial marketplace must be carefully considered. CAD support for reconfigurable system, and commercial applications of reconfigurable computing, will be major keys to deploying reconfigurable computing devices into the mainstream. Finally, we can consider applying the lessons of Run-Time-Reconfiguration within ASIC designs. Hopefully, these technologies can help create a commercial market for reconfigurable computing, making it a truly general-purpose paradigm.