I'm most curious about cryptocurrency algorithms that can be optimally run on FPGAs, but not ASICs or GPUs. Is there anything along those lines floating around already?
For what reason are you interested in that? Any such algorithm would have to make use of the re-programmability of FPGAs, since a static FPGA layout can always be turned into an ASIC...
My interest really has nothing to do with cryptocurrency, but I've been reading about dynamic method migration[0] and modular reconfigurability[1] for a long time. I can see how some of my professional work could benefit from 'adaptive computing'[2] trends as well. The algorithm I have in mind would simply be geared towards hardware that I want to own already.
Precisely. I would expect that the algorithm itself would change over time, with modifications based partially on the state of the network.
Edit: maybe the modification strategy could provide some 'proof-of-steak' protections, without burdening the system with excessive early adopter advantages.
Nothing wrong with ASICs at all, but I would prefer to invest in general purpose infrastructure. It seems like a system favoring FPGAs wouldn't be as attractive to botnet owners either.