Proteus: An open source dynamically reconfigurable system-on-chip with applications to digital signal processing

Digital systems capable of altering their hardware configuration on the fly are labeled dynamically reconfigurable. Proteus is an OpenRISC-based computer optimized for Xilinx´s FPGAs that can dynamically reconfigure itself. Proteus was conceived as a platform to facilitate the study of reconfigurable computing architectures by providing a turn-key solution that is openly available. This paper describes Proteus´s architecture, its application to digital signal processing, its capabilities and ongoing research at several institutions.