Desktop Supercomputer Prototype

As dual core configurations and even quad core servers are becoming more and more frequent on the market, one could wonder what’s the next step. And there are a few alternatives such as organic computing and other biologically-inspired solutions. But for now there are some real, palpable solutions we can take into consideration, and one of them is parallel computing.

A prototype of what may be the next generation of personal computers has been developed by researchers in the University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering. Capable of computing speeds 100 times faster than current desktops, the technology is based on parallel processing on a single chip.

Parallel processing is an approach that allows the computer to perform many different tasks simultaneously, a sharp contrast to the serial approach employed by conventional desktop computers. The prototype developed uses a circuit board about the size of a license plate on which they have mounted 64 parallel processors. To control those processors, a crucial parallel computer organization has been developed that allows the processors to work together and make programming practical and simple for software developers.

Desktop Parallel Processing

Parallel processing on a massive scale using numerous interconnected chips or computers has been used for years to create supercomputers. However, its application to desktop systems has been a challenge because of severe programming complexities. The Clark School team found a way to use single chip parallel processing technology to change that.

The advantage of parallel processing can be explained like this: “Suppose you hire one person to clean your home, and it takes five hours, or 300 minutes, for the person to perform each task, one after the other. That’s analogous to the current serial processing method. Now imagine that you have 100 cleaning people who can work on your home at the same time! That’s the parallel processing method.”

“The ’software’ challenge is: Can you manage all the different tasks and workers so that the job is completed in 3 minutes instead of 300? Our algorithms make that feasible for general-purpose computing tasks for the first time.”

The technology can lead to devices which would include 1,000 processors on a chip the size of a finger nail, to government and industry groups.

The prototype created by the research team over at the University of Maryland uses a circuit board upon which they mounted 64 parallel processors. Also some technical specs were given, of which I mention:

• 75 MHz - clock rate
• 1GB DDR2 - memory
• 64 (4 X 16) - number of TCUs

From Theory to Reality

For years, the personal computer industry achieved advancements in computer clock speed, the fundamental rate at which a computer performs operations, thanks to innovations in chip fabrication technologies and miniaturization. Moore’s Law—which dictates that the number of transistors on integrated circuits in computers will double every 18 to 24 months—was coupled with a corresponding improvement in clock speed.

But no advancements in clock speed have been achieved since 2004. From an early stage, Vishkin foresaw that Moore’s Law would ultimately fail to help improve clock speed due to physical limitations. This has guided his perseverance over his professional career in seeking to improve computer productivity by distributing the load among multiple processors, accomplishing computer tasks in parallel.

The prototype device’s physical hardware attributes are strikingly ordinary—standard computer components executing at 75 MHz. It is the device’s parallel architecture, ease of programming and processing performance relative to other computers with the same clock speed that get people’s attention.

The system represents a significant improvement in generality and flexibility for parallel computer systems because of its unique abilities. It will be able to exploit a wider spectrum of parallel algorithms than today’s microprocessors can, and this in turn will help bring general purpose parallel computing closer to reality.

Naming Contest

To increase awareness of his new technology, Vishkin is inviting the public to propose names for it. The name should reflect the features and bold aspirations of the new machine and its parallel computing capabilities, Vishkin said.

The winner will receive a $500 cash prize and be credited with the naming of the innovative technology. Visitors can submit their ideas online at the Clark School of Engineering website, www.eng.umd.edu. The deadline for submissions is September 15, 2007.