Research Challenges
Communication Centric Design: All aspects, from circuits to systems (e.g. Communication-aware design language)
Real-time constraint-based design and semi-automatic optimization
Tools and methodologies to create and verify parameterized, portable IP
Notes:
We believe that the area of communication-centric design, at all levels from bits to high-level, object-oriented protocols, is a critical area of research. To that end, research that would lead to a new standard for design entry (language, design system, etc.) that emphasizes communication and robust interface specification and design is essential for both military as well as commercial systems. Such research and development activities have never been executed well by industry alone, due to aspects of the Prisoners’ Dilemma mentioned earlier, and so this is potentially an important area for government investment.
The notions of real-time, constraint-based design, that facilitate rapid, low-cost implementation of complex MIL-SOC applications is also an area that requires development.
None of these activities are viable without an ability to create, verify, and apply component-level (portable) blocks of IP, including both hardware and software aspects.