Language and compiler support for auto-tuning variable-accuracy algorithms

—Approximating ideal program outputs is a common technique for solving computationally difficult problems, for adhering to processing or timing constraints, and for performance optimization in situations where perfect precision is not necessary. To this end, programmers often use approximation algorithms, iterative methods, data resampling, and other heuristics. However, programming such variable accuracy algorithms presents difficult challenges since the optimal algorithms and parameters may change with different accuracy requirements and usage environments. This problem is further compounded when multiple variable accuracy algorithms are nested together due to the complex way that accuracy requirements can propagate across algorithms and because of the size of the set of allowable compositions. As a result, programmers often deal with this issue in an ad-hoc manner that can sometimes violate sound ing practices such as maintaining library abstractions. In this paper, we propose l...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2011
• Where: CGO
• Authors: Jason Ansel, Yee Lok Wong, Cy P. Chan, Marek Olszewski, Alan Edelman, Saman P. Amarasinghe
• Keywords: Accuracy Requirement, Algorithms, CGO 2011, Software Engineering, Variable Accuracy