Javelina

Javelina [Hebel, 1991] was a software environment for the development of discrete-time signal processing systems written in Smalltalk-80. It included notation editors and tools for digital filter design, mathematical optimization of state variable systems and the generation of optimized machine language code for a variety of digital signal processors.

It was developed by Kurt Hebel who latter became one of the creators of Kyma (see section 2.5). Although it is currently discontinued it still represents a different and interesting approach to signal processing environments.

The Javelina system is divided in three levels. At the highest level discrete-time systems are designed graphically with the Z Plane Editor or other mathematical function editor. At the middle level the mathematical description of the discrete-time system is manipulated. Algebraic transformations are used to improve characteristics such as output noise, memory use or processing time. The resulting mathematical function is then compiled into an intermediate register transfer language (RTL) for the low level. Finally this RTL is optimized and machine code is generated.