Cost modeling for early image processing applications

This paper describes a method to evaluate image applications mapped to a focal plane processing array with a single pixel per processing element. An application is specified and compiled to a common instruction set architecture. The application is then simulated to create a dynamic workload. A design space of possible execution machines is compiled using predicted performances and costs for computation, communication, and storage operations. The application workload is evaluated against the design space of execution machines based on a weighted metric of cost and performance