Developer's
Program : For companies developing hardware and or software in the
field of reconfigurable computing.
Application
Form
"reconfig.com"
: Independent resource for information on reconfigurable computing.
Other
related sites
XILINX RECONFIGURABLE COMPUTING DEVELOPERS PROGRAM
Developers Program Offers Special Incentives to Reconfigurable Computing Developers Using Xilinx Devices
Xilinx has identified the reconfigurable computing as another major market opportunity for FPGAs and has taken the first in a series of steps to spur market development. Between 1995 and 1998, Xilinx plans to invest more than $20 million on developing the market and products for reconfigurable hardware, which is projected to grow to $1 billion by the end of this decade, according to Xilinx estimates. The initial investments support applications developers and consultants through a number of programs aimed at creating a market for reconfigurable computing.
Reconfigurable computing makes use of in-system configurable FPGAs as computing elements within general purpose computers. A wide range of distinct applications in image and audio processing, digital signal processing, scientific computing, database searching and EDA can benefit by the acceleration of software algorithms by up to 1000x.
To date, reconfigurable computing has garnered support from the scientific and academic communities, whose combined efforts have demonstrated the viability of FPGA-based reconfigurable hardware and applications, but its commercial success has been very limited. Some application examples include the successful development of two generations of FPGA-based computers, called the Splash series, by the U.S. Government's SuperComputing Research Center (SRC). One version, the Splash-2, was used in a Virginia Polytechnic Institute project, which successfully demonstrated complex image processing tasks executing in real-time. In another project at Digital Equipment Corporation's Paris Research Center, a reconfigurable computer based on Xilinx FPGAs was developed to accelerate scientific computing applications, also with great success.
According to Wim Roelandts, Xilinx CEO, the market for reconfigurable computing is in critical need of a 'kick-start' and, as the leader in programmable logic, Xilinx intends to play that role. The reconfigurable computing market will require the collaboration of distinct industry components if commercial applications are to develop along a practical path for the end-user. These include the genesis of new FPGA architectures tuned to reconfigurable applications, the availability of software to implement and run those applications and, finally, the creation of standards to govern the process. (See nearby chart, Reconfigurable Computing, Market Development Model.) To stimulate commercial applications, Xilinx created the Reconfigurable Computing Developers Program designed to offer special support for qualified companies using Xilinx programmable logic. Specific benefits to members include:
Xilinx-produced promotional
materials specific to each member that are distributed through Xilinx's
sales channels.
Two uses of Xilinx's
mailing list per year.
References to member
companies on Xilinx's WWW Reconfiguable Computing Page.
Xilinx press releases
regarding companies that have joined the Developers Program..
This initial program represents the first step in a comprehensive market-development plan to stimulate the commercialization of reconfigurable computing hardware. Xilinx will be announcing additional programs as well as FPGAs that are specifically architected for reconfigurable computing through 1996. An application form for the program is available on the Xilinx WWW site.
For more information contact:
John Watson
Market Development Manager
Reconfigurable Computing
phone: 408-879-6584
fax: 408-879-4780
email: John.Watson@Xilinx.com
Revision 8/21/95
List
of FPGA-based Computers
Brigham
Young University - Reconfigurable Logic Bibliography.
University
of Hawaii - The Functional Memory Approach to designing reconfigurable
hardware.
University
of Southern California - RPM (Rapid Prototyping engine for Multiprocesors)
University
of Missouri - Rolla - Chameleon Coprocessor.
M.I.T.
- Virtual Wires overcomes pin limitations.
National
Coordination Office (NCO) High Performance Computing and Communications
(HPCC) Program - Splash 2 Reconfigrable Computer.
Digital
Equipment Corp. - Programmable Active Memories Project
© 1996 Xilinx, Inc. All rights reserved
Trademarks and Patents