Hybrid systems consisting of a multitude of different computing device types are interesting targets for high-performance applications. Chip multiprocessors, FPGAs, DSPs, and GPUs can be readily put together into a hybrid system; however, it is not at all clear that one can effectively deploy applications on such a system. Coordinating multiple languages, especially very different languages like hardware and software languages, is awkward and error prone. Additionally, implementing communication mechanisms between different device types unnecessarily increases development time. This is compounded by the fact that the application developer, to be effective, needs performance data about the application early in the design cycle. We describe an application development environment specifically targeted at hybrid systems, supporting data-flow semantics between application kernels deployed on a variety of device types. A specific feature of the development environment is the availability of performance estimates (via simulation) prior to actual deployment on a physical system.

Auto-Pipe is a tool that aids in the design, evaluation and implementation of applications that can be executed on computational pipelines (and other topologies) using a set of heterogeneous devices including multiple processors and FPGAs. It has been developed to meet the needs arising in the domains of communications, computation on large datasets, and real time streaming data applications. This paper introduces the Auto-Pipe design flow and the X design language, and presents sample applications. The applications include the Triple-DES encryption standard, a subset of the signal-processing pipeline for VERITAS, a high-energy gamma-ray astrophysics experiment. These applications are discussed and their description in X is presented. From X, simulations of alternative system designs and stage-to-device assignments are obtained and analyzed. The complete system permits production of executable code and bit maps that may be downloaded onto real devices. Future work required to complete the Auto-Pipe design tool is discussed.