Custom Silicon for Finite Element Modelling

Muhamad Komarudin 1, Trevor York 1, W.R.B. Lionheart 2

1 Dept. of Electrical Engineering & Electronics, UMIST, PO Box 88, Manchester M60 1QD, UK Tel. (44) 0161 200 4729, Fax. (44) 0161 200 4789

m.komarudin@stud.umist.ac.uk, york@fs5.ee.umist.ac.uk

2 Department of Mathematics, UMIST, PO Box 88, Manchester, M60 1QD, UK Tel. (44) 161 200 8978, Fax. (44) 161 200 3669

Bill.Lionheart@umist.ac.uk

ABSTRACT

This paper introduces a new technique for hardware implementation of Finite Element Modelling (FEM). The proposed technique employs matrixes of programmable resistors that emulate the elements of a conventional mesh. Design considerations for custom silicon implementation, targeted at applications of industrial process tomography, are described. Software simulations explore the requirements for accuracy in processing and it is suggested that, for tomographic applications, 10-bits may provide adequate performance. Initially “resistors” based on switched capacitors have been explored as they offer some advantages compared to conventional passive implementations. Resistor values are programmed by selecting from a range of clock frequencies. The initial aim is to implement several hundred of these on a custom silicon chip in order to prove the feasibility of the technique.

Keywords Custom Silicon, Programmable Resistor Networks, Electrical Impedance Tomography, Finite Element Modelling