The first processor that can add new instructions while operating was announced by startup Stretch.

The chip combines an existing RISC (reduced instruction set computing) architecture with a large reconfigurable area of programmable logic. Developer-generated software automatically spots areas in a program that require intensive computation and creates new instructions for the processor to handle those tasks.

Typical tasks, such as performing encryption or digital video processing on blocks of data, can be executed in single clock cycles. Development costs can be reduced from millions of dollars to tens of thousands, while development time can be reduced from over a year to a few weeks, the company claims.