FPGAs: Democratizing System-on-chip Design, Re-defining Digital Systems Design

CENG SEMINAR SERIES"FPGAs: Democratizing system-on-chip design, re-defining digital systems design"Prof. Patrick LysaghtSenior DirectorXilinx Research LabAbstract:FPGAs have established themselves as the third programmable platform after CPUs and DSPs. Originally, they were perceived as low capacity, "glue logic" devices especially well suited for prototyping and low-volume applications. However as FPGA capacities and capabilities have expanded, they are now the preferred platform for most companies who are embarking on system-on-chip (SoC) design. This talk begins with a concise introduction to the capabilities of modern FPGAs and the dynamics of the new industry that they have created. This is followed by an examination of some new directions in research into dynamic reconfiguration, the unique capability of certain FPGA architectures to be partially reconfigured while operational. The representation of FPGA configuration information within the context of a host computer's virtual file system will be introduced and the capabilities and potential of this new metaphor will be discussed.Bio:Patrick Lysaght is a Senior Director in Xilinx Research Labs, whose research interests include reconfigurable computing (especially dynamically reconfigurable systems), embedded systems, system-level modeling and emerging design technologies for FPGAs. Patrick also leads Xilinx's University Program worldwide.Before joining Xilinx, Patrick was a senior lecturer at the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow) and at the Institute for System Level Integration (Livingston, Scotland). He started his career in research and development with Hewlett Packard (Edinburgh) and held a number of technical and marketing positions before joining academia. Patrick holds a BSc (Electronic Systems) from the University of Limerick, Ireland and an MSc degree (Digital Techniques) from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. He has co-authored more than forty technical papers and co-edited two books on programmable logic. He is chairman of the steering committee for FPL, the world's largest conference dedicated to field programmable logic.Host: Prof. Viktor Prasanna, Ext. 04483

Location: Olin Hall of Engineering (OHE) - -136

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Rosine Sarafian