Research

Agent Platform

ASICs have traditionally been used for high speed execution of a specific function, where as conventional microprocessors have been utilised for execution of diverse (non specific) functions. Recently configurable logic based ASICs such as FPGAs have allowed modification of the ASIC function at runtime. This has allowed greater flexibility i.e. modification or change of the function carried out by the ASIC.

The purpose of this research is to present a platform for general (non application specific) processing within configurable logic based ASICs. The aim is to execute diverse functions in high speed ASIC architecture.

The approach chosen for this work is to create a platform supporting autonomous hardware blocks known as agents who are able to occupy reconfigurable logic space and to interact with one another and the external environment. Agents can move freely throughout a network of interconnected programmable logic devices, they can spawn new agents, remove disused agents and most importantly work collaboratively to solve problems.

This approach yields a scalable system of self managing computational units which automatically reorganises to suit the current set of tasks and produce optimum results.