Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Philips, ARM Collaborate On Asynchronous CPU

Posted by timothy on from the it's-always-either-late-or-early dept.

Sean D. Solle writes "While not an actual off-the-shelf chip, Philips and ARM have announced a clockless ARM core using what they call "Handshake Technology." Read on for more about just what that means; according to this article, the asynchronous ARM chip has yet to be developed, but the same Philips subsidiary has applied similar technology to other microprocessors.

Sean D. Solle continues "Back in the early 1990's there was a lot of excitement (well, Acorn users got excited) about Prof. Steve Furber's asynchronous ARM research project, "Amulet". The idea is to let the CPU's component blocks run at their own rate, synchronising with each other only when needed. Like a normal RISC processor, one instruction typically takes one clock cycle; but in a clockless ARM, a cycle can take less time for different classes of instructions.

For example, a MOV instruction could finish before (and hence consume less power than) an ADD, even though they both execute in a single cycle. As well as energy-efficiency, running at effectively random frequencies reduces a chip's RFI emissions - handy if it's living in a cellphone or other wireless device."

4 of 163 comments (clear)

  1. nice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    nice!

  2. Let's take a non-human group by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    The computer is running. *singular*
    The computers are running. *plural*

    The computer cluster is running. *Correct*
    The computer cluster are running. *Incorrect*

    A computer cluster is a composite entity made up of many computers. However, the composite entity itself is a singular entity and must be conjugated as such.

    1. Re:Let's take a non-human group by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic
      A computer cluster is a singular entity, not composite; you are dealing with the cluster as a whole.

      A corporation is a composite entity, since it is impossible to deal with the corporate whole, merely with parts of the corporate.

      Hence, you work. Your team are working hard. Not your team is working hard, because your team is a composite entity.

      It may be that American English resolves composite entities into singular nouns; English English resolves composite entities into plural nouns, just as Latin did.

  3. A plea from down under by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic
    Friends,

    Pardon the vanity post - but it is election day.

    Right now, I feel sick. I am sick at the prospect of a two-faced shonk called John Kerry winning leadership of the Free World.

    I'm sick that here I am on the other side of the Pacific Ocean and can do precious little to stop him.

    My nausea is eased by the knowledge that there are thousands of Americans, good men and women such as yourselves, who are rugging up and preparing to fight the good fight one last day. It comforts me to know that you realize that, for this election, THERE IS NO TOMORROW.

    My confidence is boosted by the leadership shown by President Bush over the past four years, and the recognition I fully expect him to receive at the ballot box.

    My prayers are directed to you all. On your shoulders sits the responsibility of ensuring that the enemies of freedom - terrorists, abortionists, the liberal left - are defeated. The only thing standing between them and victory is you and President Bush.

    As you go about your duties this election day, please remember you are electing more than the President of the United States. You are electing somebody who will decide if Western civilization will survive. There are millions of people around the world who don't have a vote in this election, but who are as dependent on its result as you are. We are all relying on you to ensure that President George. W. Bush is returned for another term. There is a lot riding on this election: EVERYTHING is riding on this election.

    I know you won't let us - or yourselves - down.

    God bless you all and God bless President Bush, and the United States of America.

    GO GET 'EM!!!!!!!