Biologically inspired reconfigurable hardware for dependable applications
César Ortega · 1997
Introduction Practical experience has demonstrated that the goal of building fault-free systems, although attractive, is impossible to achieve. Hardware deteriorates with time, and software has become so complex that design faults are difficult, if not impossible, to avoid. Hence, the more viable alternative for applications requiring high levels of dependability is to implement systems capable of tolerating faults, i.e. Fault-Tolerant Systems. The complexity of problems solved by computers is increasing with time, so it is with the architectures of computers themselves. Therefore, the risk of failure is greater now than when computers and the problems they solved were simple. Complexity implies unreliability. Hence, it is necessary to look for new methodologies and strategies to deal with complex systems. One approach is the refinement of traditional design techniques, but the techniques themselves are becoming too complex to be considered error-free. Evidently, we have to look