Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) Emulation for Computer Architecture

The scope of this program is to explore the use of FPGA-based systems for different applications including architecture-level FPGA emulation in support of future multiprocessor architecture research. We evaluate FPGA emulation approaches against conventional simulation techniques, and determine the missing capabilities that will require further development. In particular, we compare the various possible modeling approaches and evaluated their capabilities in terms of model fidelity, emulator performance, and design effort. We also investigate techniques to incorporate energy, power, and thermal models into architecture-level FPGA emulation frameworks.