Polymorphous Computing Architectures (PCA)

Program Manager: Dr. William Harrod

Background:

Current DoD embedded information computing systems can be characterized as static in nature, relying on hardware driven heterogeneous point-solutions that represent fixed architectures and software optimizations. Today's embedded computing systems were developed for fixed mission scenarios and can not provide the robust embedded processing capability necessary to fully support retargetable and multi-mission systems. Nor are they able to accommodate a growing reliance on reactive and dynamic collaborative information centric strategies. This lack of versatility to dynamic mission requirements and the resulting reduced performance or poorly matched processing performance results in degraded capabilities for our fighting forces and dramatically can limit the military's ability to effectively project forces around the world. A unique processing design for each specific mission's sensor configuration can not be afforded due to the cost that such an approach requires in the multiplicity of platforms and the inability to accurately define and predict mission variations prior to deployment.

The PCA program will institute a paradigm shift from static open loop to reactive closed loop mission algorithms, application software, and hardware implementation. The resulting processing capability will be mission and technology invariant yet highly optimizable for each specific in-mission and multi-mission and/or technology instantiation providing for tactical and strategic tempo opportunities as well as technical upgradability.

PCA Computing Revolution

Click Here for Figure One