The Art behind Reconfigurable and Adaptive Computing Systems

The complexity of modern computing systems is rapidly increasing. Programmers must manage highly sophisticated architectures that demand advanced skills and careful tuning to achieve optimal performance. Yet, as conditions change dynamically and unpredictably, it is no longer sustainable to rely solely on human intervention. Systems must instead become self-aware and adaptive, capable of adjusting autonomously to evolving environments.

This course explores these challenges by embracing reconfigurable and adaptive computing technologies, where both hardware and software can modify their behavior at runtime. Students will discover how systems can adapt to new workloads, environmental conditions, and user needs, and how such adaptability can be achieved through reconfigurable architectures and dynamic design methodologies.

The course is designed for anyone curious about how computing systems can learn, evolve, and self-optimize. It provides a foundational understanding of:

• The principles of adaptive and reconfigurable computing and their role in modern system design.
• How reconfigurability enables runtime flexibility, performance optimization, and energy efficiency.
• The trade-offs and design decisions involved in developing adaptive systems.

New application domains, from communication and computing to embedded and consumer electronics, increasingly require systems that remain flexible even after deployment. Reconfigurable Systems-on-Chip (SoCs), combining processors with reconfigurable fabrics, represent one of the most promising paths forward. Their ability to alter functionality at runtime opens new opportunities but also introduces challenges in hardware/software co-design, dynamic reconfiguration, and design space exploration.

By the end of the course, students will:

• Understand the key concepts behind reconfigurability and adaptability in computing systems.
• Learn about the mechanisms, tools, and methodologies for designing adaptive architectures.
• Be introduced to dynamically self-reconfigurable systems, their enabling technologies, and the challenges they present.