Prototype Hardware for Finite Element Modelling

Muhamad Komarudin1, W R B Lionheart2, Trevor A York3

1Dept. of Electrical Engineering, The University of Lampung, Gedung H - FT, Jalan Prof. Sumantri Brojonegoro No. 1, Bandar Lampung, 35145, Indonesia,

Tel. (62) 0721 701609 Ext.219, Fax. (62) 0721 704947, Komar@unila.ac.id

2 Department of Mathematics, UMIST, PO Box 88, Sackville St., Manchester, M60 1QD, UK Tel. (44) 0161 200 8978, Fax. (44) 161 200 3669, Bill.Lionheart@umist.ac.uk

3 Department of Electrical Engineering & Electronics, UMIST, PO Box 88, Sackville St., Manchester M60 1QD, UK Tel. (44) 0161 200 4729, Fax. (44) 0161 200 4789, york@fs5.ee.umist.ac.uk

ABSTRACT

Finite element modelling is popular for solving a wide variety of engineering problems. Although FEM is an inherently parallel process it is almost always realised using serial software solutions that are, necessarily, slow. The present work describes a proposed technique for using electronic hardware, in the form of custom silicon integrated circuits, to accelerate the process. This has the potential to expose many new opportunities for FEM applications and is illustrated in the present work by considering the processing requirements for electrical impedance tomography. The paper presents test results on prototype hardware that is implemented as a custom silicon chip.

Keywords Finite Element Modelling, Tomography, VLSI, Custom Silicon