The topic of NADA is research on new, mathematically sound methods for the description and design of hardware systems. We interpret the term ``hardware systems'' very generally to include architectures and circuits, the hardware/software interface and even biological systems.
Three major subtopics have been identified within the Inaugural Meeting in April 1994:
The goal of the research on modeling is to elicit requirements on design methodologies and description languages. It includes studying architectures, circuits and emerging new paradigms for hardware systems, as well as various standard technologies. It will lead to unified mathematical models of hardware.
NGHDL, a Next Generation Hardware Description Language, will employ concepts at a high level of abstraction and will be based on a formally defined semantics. Description aspects include general questions of timing, parameterisation and modularisation. The design techniques include verification, deductive design in the small and structured design in the large, based on mathematical models and the proposed language.
To support the above aims the Group is also investigating the mathematical foundations for hardware design based on algebra and logic. Appropriate mathematical methods come from computation theory, higher order algebra, proof theory and timed process algebra.