Reconfigurable Computing

Reconfigurable computing is a computer architecture combining some of the flexibility of software with the high performance of hardware by processing with flexible hardware platforms like field-programmable gate arrays. The principal difference when compared to using ordinary microprocessors is the ability to add custom computational blocks using field-programmable gate arrays. The main difference from custom hardware, such as application-specific integrated circuits, is the possibility to adapt the hardware during runtime by loading a new circuit on the reconfigurable fabric, providing new computational blocks without the need to manufacture and add new chips to the existing system.