Secure Scalable Advanced Sensor Processor (SSASP)

Physical Sciences, Inc. (PSI) proposes the Secure Scalable Advanced Sensor Processor (SSASP), which integrates state-of-the-art embedded parallel processing technologies with a set of highly optimized signal and image processing libraries to provide a secure, open, scalable, power-aware, easy-to-use platform for acoustic processing on a wide range of small platforms, including sonobuoys and countermeasures. The processor employs an advanced system-on-chip (SOC) commodity computing device, which provides extensive information assurance and anti-tamper features, as well as leading performance-per-watt for embedded signal processing applications. PSI extends this commodity computing platform with additional anti-tamper protection for executable program and data stored in off-chip dynamic memory, providing comprehensive protection of critical algorithms and parameters while devices are deployed and unattended. The proposed SSASP computing module will provide up to 10 GFLOPS peak programmable processor throughput, and up to 30 GFLOPS additional throughput for selected DSP algorithms through the onboard hardware-acceleration co-processor. This computing throughput, in a credit-card-sized module consuming less than 3 Watts power, could provide a revolutionary step forward in available maritime processor density.