Field programmable gate arrays
<Chips Keep the Change
PHILIP BALL
... The ability to reconfigure a computer's circuits could greatly enhance its versatility and power. At present, many of the specialized functions of personal computers - such as Internet trafficking, or playing videos and audio - require special chips installed as part of the hardware. FPGAs would enable a single chip to perform any of these functions simply by reconfiguring its circuits. In effect, hardware becomes software....