The digital signal processor industry - its past performance, present status and future prospects

The implementation of Cooley-Tukey algorithm via special-purpose Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) processors has given birth to the digital signal processor industry - a specialized sector of the computer industry. This paper reviews the evolution of dedicated FFT processors introduced in the mid-1960s to programmable array processors in recent years, surveys the present status of the industry, and forecasts future industry trends. The subject addressed in this paper is confined to the characteristics of the structure of the industry, and its techno-economic development.