Keynote paper: Hardware compilation - a new technique for rapid prototyping of digital systems - applied to sensor validation

This paper provides tutorial introductions to Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and the concept of hardware compilation - the translation of a high-level programming language directly into a hardware design. As an illustration, a simple stepper motor control program is presented. The research aims of the sensor validation programme are described, and the benefits of using hardware compilation techniques are presented. This leads on in the conclusion of the paper to a more general discussion of the interaction between research and technology, and in particular the influence of information technology upon control engineering.