Seeking Solutions in Configurable Computing [IEEE Computer, Dec. 1997] Configurable computing systems combine programmable hardware with programmable processors to capitalize on the strengths of hardware and software. Often these systems must also address the difficulties of both hardware and software, because they mix the technology. While the origins of configurable computing go back at least 30 years, the past eight years have brought about a significant increase in research activity. Since at least 1989, configurable computing systems have demonstrated the potential for achieving high performance for a range of applications, including image filtering, convolution, morphology, feature extraction and object tracking. Researchers have developed prototype systems that achieve performance an order of magnitude higher than more conventional approaches for a number of applications. However, realizing this potential outside of the laboratory has proven difficult because these systems rely on manipulating low-level abstractions - digital circuits, for example - and thus require highly skilled developers.