Was Darwin Wrong? Has Design Evolution Stopped at the RTL Level... or Will Software and Custom Processors (or System-Level Design) Extend Moore´s Law?

The challenges of electronic design are escalating as software and embedded processors are fast becoming a more dominant component of electronic products. Software is now acknowledged as the most effective way for electronics companies to differentiate their products. But what if the processors running the software aren´t up to the task? Electronics companies are increasingly adopting a new system-level design methodology to stay competitive, one that enables design that is centred on custom processors and software. The ripple effects of systems- level design are even affecting the way that semiconductor companies take products to market and how their customers choose and use silicon.