The only problem is that I don’t see liquid-helium mod kits coming available anytime soon.
IBM researchers have pushed a silicon-based microprocessor to speeds of 500GHz, more than 250 times faster than a typical commercial chip in a cell phone.
First, the researchers built a prototype silicon-germanium (SiGe) chip that ran at 350GHz at room temperature.
Then they used liquid helium to freeze their microprocessor to 451 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. Nature’s coldest temperature, known as absolute zero, is just a few degrees lower, at minus 459.67 degrees Fahrenheit. With no risk of melting the chip, they pushed it to 500GHz.
How long until this kind of speed is commonplace?
BUT,
You can get a small amount of Liquid Nitrogen, in the NEW wart remover kits…
Can you imagine a bewulf cluster of these?
X-D
Well hell, it ran at 350Ghz at ROOM TEMP… that’s more newsworthy frankly.
IBM researchers have pushed a silicon-based microprocessor to speeds of 500GHz, more than 250 times faster than a typical commercial chip in a cell phone.
Who has a 2GHz cell phone?
IBM researchers have pushed a silicon-based microprocessor to speeds of 500GHz, more than 250 times faster than a typical commercial chip in a cell phone.
Who has a 2GHz cell phone? Where do I get one?
The author may be confused. When he read Cell Processor I think he thought cell phone. These are getting close to the speed needed to have decent verbal input; “Close the pod bay doors HAL”.
Gregory (3) has the right point – 350 GHz at room temperature -> that’s the insane part … when can they do that large-scale?
The only is your electric bill might be 2k a month running this thing.
How much waste heat would be created at 350 GHz? Methinks one would still need some radical cooling even if using this chip at “room temperature”.
Here’s a cool related tech:
High-K tech uses less power while operating faster
http://www.eebeat.com/?p=266
The articles all state that it is an IBM microprocessor. If this was just one transistor, than these news reports are pretty misleading or just simply uniformed.
So, if a CPU is designed with this technology, what can be expected?
Oops, 500 GHz is 1/2 terrahertz. Sorry for the fau paux.
According to the article linked, it’s a chip. It could be a chip with one or very few transistors, but that would not invalidate the technology.
Wall sized screens with interactive porno will be here soon, and that should spark a few comments, pro and con. And I can see that the thermal issues will spring from more than just CPU heat.
500Ghz is impressive. But, when are computers going to work for people instead of the other way around? “Computer User” is a misnomer. We are all “computer usees”. These boxes are still very stupid no matter how guickly they are stupid. They’re as tempermental as a barrel full of chiuauas with ADHD on crystal meth. As one wag said, “We don’t need anymore Search engines, we only need a good Find engine.” The same holds true for all this “grey goo”. We need computers that act on our behalf not on our command (or not).
The closer one gets to absolute zero, the less friction and heat is produced. Running at -450 F would reduce electrical friction to near zero resulting in little heat. Maybe if they really over clocked the chip they could have achieved even higher ratings.
The good news is that at some point in the future, this breakthrough will influence our PC processors. When is anyone’s guess.
Windows 2015 “Armageddon Edition” System Requirements:
IBM compatible 1 THtz or better (2 THtz with liquid helium cooling for “Aero Glass”)
#19, How much memory will be required?
think if you got one of these to multiplex quick enough, glued a couple of strands of fiber to it and youd probably be able to replace a good load of servers out there