At each instant, in each of these 60 trillion cells, the genome, a ribbon of 2 billion characters, is decoded to produce the proteins needed for the survival of the organism. This genome contains the ensemble of the genetic inheritance of the individual and, at the same time, the instructions for both the construction and the operation of the organism. The parallel execution of 60 trillion genomes in as many cells occurs ceaselessly from the conception to the death of the individual.
Faults are rare and, in the majority of cases, successfully detected and repaired.
This process is remarkable for its complexity and its precision. Applications designed for hostile environments, such as space, where the increased radiation levels reduce the reliability of components. Applications which exploit the latest technological advances, and notably the drastic device shrinking, low power supply levels, and increasing operating speeds, which accompany the technological evolution to deeper submicron levels and significantly reduce the noise margins and increase the soft-error rates. These emerging needs require the development of a new design paradigm that supports efficient online VLSI testing and self-repair solutions. Physica 10D, 1984.