Intel Experimental Processor Runs On Solar Power

An anonymous reader writes "For the IDF keynote, Intel showed an experimental processor that is solar powered (incandescent light shining on a solar panel). The whole computer itself still runs on regular power; only the processor itself is solar. From the article: 'The concept processor, code-named Claremont, can run light workloads on solar power by dropping energy consumption to under 10 milliwatts, said Justin Rattner, chief technology officer at Intel, during a keynote address at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco. That is low enough to keep a chip running on a solar cell the size of a stamp.'"

Comments

Re:10mW chip running off 60W bulb

[catprog]

60W incandescent bulb =

1.26watts light
58.74 watts heat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incandescent_light_bulb#Efficiency_and_environmental_impact

Look a how much of the light is shining off the panel and the efficiency of the light->cpu is even better

And is the cpu using all the power available from the panel?

Re:What does it matter?

[timeOday]

If a device's appetite for power falls below what can be gathered passively from the environment, then it doesn't need a battery or power cord, and can run practically forever, which is a big impact.