Slide 1

Reconfigurable Computing & Its Use in Space Applications in 20 minutes Dr. Brock J. LaMeres Associate Professor Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Slide 2

Reconfigurable Computing What is Reconfigurable Computing? A System That Alters Its Hardware as its Normal Operating Procedure This can be done in real-time or at compile time. This can be done on the full-chip, or just on certain portions. Changing the hardware allows it to be optimized for the application at hand. 2 The typical approach to hardware is to build everything that will ever be needed. In Reconfigurable Computing, hardware is instead altered and re-used.

Slide 3

Reconfigurable Computing How is RC Different? Todays Computers are Based on a General-Purpose Processor The GP CPU is designed to do many things. This is the Jack of All Trades, Master of None approach. 3 General Purpose CPU Model Reconfigurable Computing Model

Slide 4

Reconfigurable Computing Who Cares? Our Existing Computers Seem to be Working Well. Why Change? Our existing computers have benefited from 40 years of Moores Law. In the 1960s, Gordon Moore predicted that the number of transistors on a chip would double every ~24 months. 4 Gordon Moore, co- founder of Intel, holding a vacuum tube. 1959 - 1965 1971* - 2011 Note: First microprocessor introduced in 1971, the Intel 4004 with 2300 transistors.

Slide 5

Reconfigurable Computing Moores Law Rocks! Why is Moores Law so Cool? Our general-purpose computer model has gotten smaller, faster, and more power efficient every 24 months. This has allowed faster operation and more sophisticated software to be executed. The development tools evolve coinciding with the faster/smaller transistors. So we havent cared that most of the CPU sits idle since each new node is so much better than the last, we always win! 5 Replica of the First Transistor (Source: AP Photo Paul Sakuma) Intel Xeon Phi, 22nm (Source: newsroom.intel.com) Intel 4004, 10um (Source: newsroom.intel.com) 1947 (1 transistor) 1971 (2300 transistors) 2012 (5B transistors)

Slide 6

Reconfigurable Computing How long can we do this? When will Moores Law End? Most exponentials do come to an end. 6 Clock Speed Power Performance per Clock Cycle But is transistor count what we care about?

Slide 7

Reconfigurable Computing Computation vs. Transistor Count We Really Care About Computation 7 You Are Here

Slide 8

Reconfigurable Computing The Promise of RC A Computer Always Needs an Application We discovered that space computers could be greatly enhanced by RC. They need to be light. RC reuses hardware, that saves mass. 8

Slide 9

Reconfigurable Computing The Promise of RC A Computer Always Needs an Application We discovered that space computers could be greatly enhanced by RC. They need to be light. RC reuses hardware, that saves mass. 9

Slide 10

Reconfigurable Computing The Promise of RC A Computer Always Needs an Application We discovered that space computers could be greatly enhanced by RC. They need to be light. RC reuses hardware, that saves mass. They need to be low power. RC eliminates unnecessary circuitry. 10

Slide 11

Reconfigurable Computing The Promise of RC A Computer Always Needs an Application We discovered that space computers could be greatly enhanced by RC. They need to be light. RC reuses hardware, that saves mass. They need to be low power. RC eliminates unnecessary circuitry. 11

Slide 12

Reconfigurable Computing The Promise of RC A Computer Always Needs an Application We discovered that space computers could be greatly enhanced by RC. They need to be light. RC reuses hardware, that saves mass. They need to be low power. RC eliminates unnecessary circuitry. They need to have high computation. RC can do that. 12

Slide 13

Reconfigurable Computing The Promise of RC A Computer Always Needs an Application We discovered that space computers could be greatly enhanced by RC. They need to be light. RC reuses hardware, that saves mass. They need to be low power. RC eliminates unnecessary circuitry. They need to have high computation. RC can do that. 13

Slide 14

Reconfigurable Computing The Promise of RC A Computer Always Needs an Application We discovered that space computers could be greatly enhanced by RC. They need to be light. RC reuses hardware, that saves mass. They need to be low power. RC eliminates unnecessary circuitry. They need to have high computation. RC can do that. They need to operate in the presence of harsh radiation. 14

Slide 15

Reconfigurable Computing The Promise of RC A Computer Always Needs an Application We discovered that space computers could be greatly enhanced by RC. They need to be light. RC reuses hardware, that saves mass. They need to be low power. RC eliminates unnecessary circuitry. They need to have high computation. RC can do that. They need to operate in the presence of harsh radiation. 15 Can you repeat the question???

Slide 16

Reconfigurable Computing Where Does Radiation Come From? 16 3) Trapped Radiation 1) Cosmic Rays 2) Solar Particle Events

Slide 17

Reconfigurable Computing What Types of Radiation is There? Radiation Categories 1.Ionizing Radiation o Sufficient energy to remove electrons from atomic orbit o Ex. High energy photons, charged particles 2.Non-Ionizing Radiation o Insufficient energy/charge to remove electrons from atomic orbit o Ex., microwaves, radio waves Types of Ionizing Radiation 1.Gamma & X-Rays (photons) o Sufficient energy in the high end of the UV spectrum 2.Charged Particles o Electrons, positrons, protons, alpha, beta, heavy ions 3.Neutrons o No electrical charge but ionize indirectly through collisions What Type are Electronics Sensitive To? Ionization which causes electrons to be displaced Particles which collide and displace silicon crystal 17

Slide 18

Reconfigurable Computing What are the Effects? 1. Total Ionizing Dose (TID) o Cumulative long term damage due to ionization. o Primarily due to low energy protons and electrons due to higher, more constant flux, particularly when trapped o Problem #1 Oxide Breakdown Threshold Shifts Leakage Current Timing Changes 18

Slide 19

Reconfigurable Computing What are the Effects? 2. Single Event Effects (SEE) o Electron/hole pairs created by a single particle passing through semiconductor o Primarily due to heavy ions and high energy protons o Excess charge carriers cause current pulses o Creates a variety of destructive and non-destructive damage Critical Charge = the amount of charge deposited to change the state of a gate 19

Slide 20

Reconfigurable Computing But Im Texting Right Now? How can our computers function? 20 You Are Here Thank you atmosphere. Thank you magnetosphere

Slide 21

Reconfigurable Computing But there are computers in space? Stuff is up there now, how does it function? 21 Thank you federal government. A-Side Computer BAE Rad750 $200,000 B-Side Computer BAE Rad750 $200,000

Slide 22

Reconfigurable Computing But there are computers in space? Rad-Hard Processors Can be Made that are SLOW and EXPENSIVE Rad-Hard computers tend to lag commercial versions in performance by 10+ years. They are also 100s-1000x more expensive. 22

Slide 23

Reconfigurable Computing I Know Youre Going to Ask. Shielding Shielding helps for protons and electrons