Types of Accelerators and Specific Needs
Tom Shea

Abstract
During the history of particle accelerators, digital signal processing grew from an embryonic  state into a useful niche technology, and has now become a key enabler of modern accelerator performance. By providing an overview of accelerators and their DSP applications, this presentation will set the stage for the more focussed lectures that follow. We will cover a brief history of DSP applications in accelerators, and will identify the relevant practices and trends. The accelerator environment presents many challenges, including ionizing radiation, electromagnetic interference, and system life-cycle issues. To design a successful DSP system, these and other challenges should be considered in concert with the expected signal characteristics and  required system performance. Strategies for accomplishing this will be presented and illustrated with examples.