Abstract
This paper presents a novel approach to accelerate program execution by mapping repetitive traces of executed instructions, called Megablocks, to a runtime reconfigurable array of functional units. An offline tool suite extracts Megablocks from microprocessor instruction traces and generates a Reconfigurable Processing Unit (RPU) tailored for the execution of those Megablocks. The system is able to transparently movebcomputations from the microprocessor to the RPU at runtime. A prototype implementation of the system using a cacheless MicroBlaze microprocessor running code located in external memory reaches speedups from 2.2x to 18.2x for a set of 14 benchmark kernels. For a system setup which maximizes microprocessor performance by having the application code located in internal block RAMs, speedups from 1.4x to 2.8x were estimated.

Abstract
This chapter describes the design-flow approach developed in the REFLECT project as presented originally in [1]. Over the course of the project, this design-flow has evolved and has been extended into a fully operational toolchain. We begin by presenting an overview of the underlying aspect-oriented compilation flow followed by an extended description of the design-flow and its toolchain. © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013. All rights are reserved.

Abstract
This chapter presents LARA, an aspect-oriented domain-specific language developed in the context of the REFLECT project. We describe its main features, including syntax and semantics (as defined by the LARA 2.0 technical specification [1]), and provide detailed examples of its use. In particular, we cover the mapping of computations written in high-level programming languages such as C to reconfigurable architectures considering non-functional requirements and user concerns. © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013. All rights are reserved.

Abstract

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Abstract
The development of avionics systems is typically a tedious and cumbersome process. In addition to the required functions, developers must consider various and often conflicting non-functional requirements such as safety, performance, and energy efficiency. Certainly, an integrated approach with a seamless design flow that is capable of requirements modelling and supporting refinement down to an actual implementation in a traceable way, may lead to a significant acceleration of development cycles. This paper presents an aspect-oriented approach supported by a toolchain that deals with functional and non-functional requirements in an integrated manner. It also discusses how the approach can be applied to development of safety-critical systems and provides experimental results.