The Future of Data-Parallel Embedded Systems (Abstract)

Summary form only given. Programmable data-parallel embedded systems are typically associated with tasks such as image processing, video decoding, and software-defined radio. This talk is particularly focused on designs for resource-constrained mobile and consumer devices. Today, heterogeneous multi-core designs are hailed as the solution, and many research teams claim to work on this topic. However, the heterogeneous processing often stays at the level of combining many RISCs with many DSPs or similarly adapted processors, which should actually still be classified as a homogeneous. In order to really compete with hardwired designs, extremely high efficiency is required. In this talk, we will show how the required levels of efficiency are obtained by building systems which consist of limited sets of highly parallel purpose-built processors, and by ensuring that these systems are programmed to efficiently utilize the available compute resources.