Automated hardware design using genetic programming, VHDL, and FPGAs

We have developed a completely automated approach to hardware design based on integrating three core technologies into one comprehensive system, namely genetic programming (GP), the VHSIC Hardware Description Language (VHDL) and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Our system uses an automated GP engine, as opposed to a human designer, to evolve a hardware design composed of one or more FPGAs that will maximally achieve an application´s software requirements. Several variants of our system exist; other variants are currently under development. The focus of this paper is to describe our original system design and its most recent revision to date