Introduction to ARPA´s RASSP initiative and education/facilitation program

The Rapid Prototyping of Application Specific Signal Processors (RASSP) US Department of Defense (ARPA/Tri-Services) initiative is intended to dramatically improve the way digital systems, particularly embedded digital signal processors, are designed, manufactured, upgraded, and supported. These DSP systems are complex, with typically one or more printed circuit boards, a variety of implementation technologies and interfaces, and a wide range of data rates. The target RASSP improvement is at least a fourfold (4×) reduction in the time to go from design concept to fielded system. Equivalent improvements in cost and quality are also targets. The motivation for the RASSP initiative is the pervasive need for affordable embedded signal processors throughout a wide range of DoD systems, signal processors that are state-of-the-art when they are fielded rather than when they are first defined. A number of programs are included in the RASSP initiative. This paper introduces the initiative from both technical and programmatic viewpoints