IBM creates a chip-sized supercomputer

Good news, everybody! Those super-geniuses over at IBM have whipped up a new form of CPU transfer which utilizes pulses of light instead of electricity to move data between cores on a chip. The new technology -- which is one-hundred times faster than current speeds -- is called silicon nanophotonics, and if implemented, could downsize supercomputers to laptop stature. The invention is unhindered by common problems with electrical chips, such as overheating and breakdown of data on short trips, allowing signals to pass unmolested over greater distances. Using this process, data can be moved a few centimeters, while requiring one-tenth as much power, resulting in lower operational costs for supercomputers. Will Green, a researcher at IBM, says that the company's creation will, "Be able to have hundreds or thousands of cores on a chip," and will result in huge speed boosts. Unfortunately, the project is on track to be carried out in 10 to 12 years, which leaves a lot of time to ponder if the chips will play Doom.

[Andrew @ Dec 6th 2007 9:30AM]

So basically it's the strobe light of CPUs?

[Morrison @ Dec 6th 2007 9:30AM]

I LOVE the Futurama stuff lately, and yes this seems like good news indeed. The 2020's will be booming if this is true.

[Tanveer @ Dec 6th 2007 12:56PM]

*to the post

Its "Good news every ONE!" Not every body...sorry, but it irritates the heck out of me, when i see Futurama phrases being misquoted. Specially this simple yet widely used beloved Prof. Farnsworth one - and this isn't the first time someone did that either.

Humble request to everyone: Don't use Futurama quotes unless you're sure you're not going to butcher it.

*You're free to take liberty w/ Family Guy lines however =P

[robert @ Dec 7th 2007 12:59AM]

What are you talking about? He didn't say good news everyone OR everybody, he said good news indeed.

Humble request to everyone: Don't rag on someone for "butchering" a Futurama quote when they didn't.

[robert @ Dec 7th 2007 1:01AM]

Oh, I see what he was referring to. My bad.

[Chris Jack @ Dec 6th 2007 9:32AM]

Or as we call it Sky Net!

[ethana2 @ Dec 6th 2007 1:31PM]

WGA + auto updates.

same deal with iRobot ;)
http://www.linuxgenuineadvantage.org/

When you're talking world domination, it's /all/ about the software.

[Holger @ Dec 6th 2007 9:32AM]

hehe the Futurama stuff is great (and so is the new "movie" btw)...

just wondering if it's like a kinda hidden commercial thing? not that I mind when it's Futurama... :P

[fish @ Dec 6th 2007 10:41AM]

No they have got Hypno toad for that.

[Mike @ Dec 6th 2007 9:35AM]

Chips are good with rootbeer...

[Double D @ Dec 6th 2007 9:49AM]

So are Amburgers

[brad @ Dec 6th 2007 10:16AM]

dont forget french cries

[Yubastard @ Dec 6th 2007 10:23AM]

freedom cries

[strider_mt2k @ Dec 6th 2007 9:37AM]

Kill all the Humans!

[Michael Emmons @ Dec 6th 2007 9:39AM]

[QUOTE]The invention is unhindered by common problems [...] such as [...] breakdown of data on short trips, allowing signals to pass unmolested over greater distances.[/QUOTE]

Less breakdown of data on short trips allows signals to travel greater distances? Huh? Shouldn't that be less breakdowns on long trips?

[Double D @ Dec 6th 2007 4:01PM]

Well, maybe they are sending it on a series of short trips, kinda like taking the bus...hence the data arriving "unmolested". Unlike now, when data has to make a long trip, all by itself, meets a lonely trucker in the second core, then it needs counseling, and then we get the BSOD.

[whatphone @ Dec 6th 2007 9:59AM]

@double d

Well, maybe they are sending it on a series of short trips, kinda like taking the bus...hence the data arriving "unmolested".
---------------------------------

try that in the UK, there will be some molestation going on for sure ;)

[whatphone @ Dec 6th 2007 9:59AM]

@double d

Well, maybe they are sending it on a series of short trips, kinda like taking the bus...hence the data arriving "unmolested".
---------------------------------

try that in the UK, there will be some molestating going on for sure ;)

[whatphone @ Dec 6th 2007 10:00AM]

@double d

Well, maybe they are sending it on a series of short trips, kinda like taking the bus...hence the data arriving "unmolested".
---------------------------------

try that in the UK, there will be some molesting going on for sure ;)

[Andrew @ Dec 6th 2007 10:21AM]

Whatphone's comment made me laugh my ass off the first time. The second and third were just...well...redundant.

[whatphone @ Dec 6th 2007 10:27AM]

@andrew,

thanks and sorry... I clicked "add your comments" three times... I got impatient :(

[Brodie @ Dec 6th 2007 9:52AM]

I feel like Prof. Farnsworth should have a speech bubble next to him that says "Good News Everybody."

[Nick Spacek @ Dec 6th 2007 10:43AM]

No!! Don't put a speech bubble next to him, it's funnier in the post! It's really funny that someone mentioned reading this with his voice in your head, that happened without me even noticing. :)

[John @ Dec 6th 2007 2:22PM]

I feel he should have one that says "good news everyone", like the actual quote. But I guess by now you're in a rut of misquoting futurama.

[Brodie @ Dec 6th 2007 2:29PM]

Wow... you got me John. Everyone bow down to this guy. Hide your daughters because John is out there...

Its now about 2:30, so high school is getting out...

Oh yeah... and read the first line of the article tool. What does it say? There you go... comment explained.

[Erik @ Dec 6th 2007 9:53AM]

Didn't the Israelis come up with something like this last year? "A CPU that could compute att the speed of light", I think..

[Blake Bowen @ Dec 6th 2007 9:56AM]

If you think the high-def format wars are bad, wait until we have the "Quantum vs Photonic vs DNA" computer war, heh heh.

[captain underpants and the bringdown gang @ Dec 6th 2007 4:00PM]

you forgot phoonic (pho-on-ic?) computers, that use heat to transmit data.

[stankychicken @ Dec 6th 2007 10:14AM]

"unmolested" ha...

[jowee @ Dec 6th 2007 10:13AM]

okay it should play doom, but what about duke nukem forever?

[Yubastard @ Dec 6th 2007 10:27AM]

when the tech comes out in 10 to 12 years, Duke Nukem Forever will still be in development... maybe an alpha state?

[Brooks @ Dec 6th 2007 10:20AM]

Does anyone know of good ways to please our future robot masters?

[Speddy @ Dec 6th 2007 10:26AM]

Will I dream, Dave?

[StrangeBum @ Dec 6th 2007 10:27AM]

I just have to say after seeing Farnsworth picture I imagined his voice speaking the entire post. It made it rather comical, and I have to say that while it still may be 10-12 years down the road. I can't hardly imagine what things will be like.

Skynet!

[Edge @ Dec 6th 2007 10:49AM]

I can already hear my future self saying to my grandkids "when I was your age we only had ONE core"...

[Matt B @ Dec 6th 2007 1:41PM]

..and we liked it!!!

[Chad @ Dec 6th 2007 2:45PM]

WTF's a "Core" Grandpa?

[Double D @ Dec 6th 2007 4:08PM]

And we had to stream data by hand in shoeboxes, uphill, BOTH WAYS!!

[Gene @ Dec 6th 2007 10:50AM]

Yeah, it may be able to play Doom, but, most likely at something damn near close to light speed where hitting the "W" key moves you half way across the map. If you even call that playable (I've done something similar, it's fun for like... 5 minutes)
And yeah, this stuff is cool. I'd really like to see the effects development like this has on consumer processors. I imagine this will lead to not only faster, more efficient computers, but routers that can process and transmit data at a MUCH quicker pace.
I'm really curious to what developments this makes.
GR

[Galley @ Dec 6th 2007 11:09AM]

These new chips will be perfect for our new robotic overlords!

[rob mathieson @ Dec 7th 2007 5:23AM]

try writing software that would support this!

[kyle allen @ Dec 7th 2007 1:14AM]

it writes its own software... but feels purposeless because it cant seem to find a question that can even begin to challenge it.

[David @ Dec 6th 2007 11:20AM]

Super computers will, of course, still be enormous. Every time a single chip gets faster, super computers stay the same size and just get that much faster. It's ridiculous when companies claim they have a supercomputer for the desktop. (I'm lookin' at you, Apple.) Sure, if you're comparing it to a super computer 10-20 years ago. There will always be a need for more power than a single desktop box provides - and that will be filled by .. gasp! .. larger computers.

[mike @ Dec 6th 2007 11:28AM]

Almost every year researchers from different places announce this kind of inventions or discoveries. I believe last year MIT announced something similer. This is all BS.. Instead of announcing that it will see the light 12 years from now.. why don't you waint 5 more years to announce this and say it will be available 5 years from now right. This kind statements from companies like IBM and even universities are just like advertisements for their brand names (including MIT)

[Brandon Curtis @ Dec 6th 2007 11:47AM]

Not if it will play doom, but how many frames you can get.

[captain underpants and the bringdown gang @ Dec 6th 2007 4:03PM]

Probabbly somewhere between 30 and 40 million FPS.

[Gaz @ Dec 6th 2007 11:59AM]

This wont reduce supercomputers to the size of laptops, they'll just use more of them.

More power = more good

[Dale @ Dec 6th 2007 12:36PM]

I can't wait till IBM are bought out by Mom's Friendly Robot Company.

[NinjaChurch @ Dec 6th 2007 12:54PM]

Love the Prof., but isn't his catchphrase "Good news, everyone!"
P.S. Silicon Nanophtonics, sounds kinda like Borg tech to me, lol.

[Dave @ Dec 6th 2007 1:03PM]

*Nanophotonics