The autonomous self-healing (eDNA) hardware platform is a reconfigurable field-programmable gate-array (FPGA)-type platform developed by Technical University of Denmark (patent: WO/2010/060923). It is capable of autonomously reconfiguring itself in case a fault is detected and, thusly, restoring functionality at a fault-free location on the chip.
The software implemented on the liquid crystal waveguide Fourier transform spectrometer (LCW-FTS) prototype has been ported to the eDNA platform, resulting in an LCW-FTS processing system that can repair itself in case a fault is injected. The FPGA-based eDNA prototype has been ported to the FPGA of the embedded system of the FTS.
As transistor geometries continue to shrink, the variability of them increases. This results in an increasing number of both permanent and transient hardware faults, which in turn increases the demand for robust hardware systems. Particularly, the space environment stresses the hardware onboard a spacecraft. eDNA architecture has three key components: the electronic DNA (eDNA), an array of electronic cells (eCells) connected in a 2D-mesh network-on-a-chip (NoC), and a subset of eCells in this array that are designated “spare eCells.”
Analogous to the way biological cells work, all eCells interpret the eDNA and, based on their position, implement a part of the eDNA. Spare eCells are eCells that determine they should not implement any part of the application. The main benefit of the eDNA architecture is its capability to self-heal. The eCells use a cooperative self-test algorithm to ensure detection of permanent and transient faults. Once a fault is detected, self-healing is initialized. Each eCell keeps in its memory a list of spare eCells. When an eCell detects a fault, it determines the closest spare eCell by calculating the Manhattan distance, and then notifies the eCell that this spare eCell will be used to overtake the functionality of the faulty eCell. Then, it sends a package to the spare eCell, which assigns the cell number of the faulty eCell to the spare. Upon reception of the package, the spare eCell resets its cell number and runs the self-organization algorithm and takes on the functionality of the faulty eCell.
At the time of this reporting, this is the first time control and data processing of an FTS instrument has been implemented in an autonomous, self-healing hardware platform. Self-healing electronics represent a tremendous advantage in space applications where repair is very expensive, impossible, a high risk, or a combination of the three.
This work was done by Thomas T. Lu, Didier Keymeulen, and Tien-Hsin Chao of Caltech; and Jan Madsen and Michael R. Boesen of Technical University of Denmark for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. NPO-47896
This Brief includes a Technical Support Package (TSP).
Fourier Transform Spectrometer on Autonomous Self-Healing Hardware Platform
(reference NPO47896) is currently available for download from the TSP library.
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Overview
The document is a Technical Support Package from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) detailing the integration of a Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) with an Autonomous Self-Healing Hardware Platform, specifically utilizing a self-healing architecture known as eDNA. This innovative approach aims to enhance the reliability and performance of scientific instruments used in aerospace applications.
The agenda of the document outlines several key areas: the motivation behind developing self-healing hardware, its application in the FTS, the architecture of eDNA, the hardware and software implementation on CompactRIO systems, the self-healing capabilities of FTS data processing, and performance evaluations of the system.
Self-healing hardware is designed to automatically detect and recover from faults, ensuring continuous operation without human intervention. The eDNA architecture is central to this capability, allowing for rapid integration into embedded real-time systems. The document emphasizes the fast integration process of eDNA into the FTS, showcasing its effectiveness in maintaining data processing and control functionalities even in the presence of hardware faults.
The document also discusses the online and offline processes involved in the self-healing mechanism. In offline mode, synthesis tools similar to FPGA workflows are used, while online mode features self-organization capabilities that allow the system to adapt and recover from faults dynamically.
The conclusion highlights the successful demonstration of the eDNA self-healing architecture in real-world applications, underscoring its potential for broader technological, scientific, and commercial applications. The document serves as a resource for understanding the advancements in self-healing technologies and their implications for future aerospace developments.
Overall, this Technical Support Package provides valuable insights into the integration of advanced self-healing hardware with scientific instruments, showcasing NASA's commitment to innovation and the enhancement of technology in aerospace research. For further inquiries or assistance, the document provides contact information for NASA's Innovative Technology Assets Management at JPL.
