Next Generation Heterogeneous Compute Device Architectures

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At the core of virtually all modern electronic devices such as computers, smartphones, tablets, high-definition TVs, game consoles, and network routers there is at least one processor supported by a memory system. A processor is a device that can manipulate information represented as numbers and memory systems store such numbers. Processors are useful because they can interact with the environment via sensors (e.g., a microphone) and actuators (e.g., a display). Processors are also useful in scientific exploration where they are used to evaluate complex physical phenomena models such as chemical, and inter-planetary interactions that are too expensive or impractical to study otherwise. Today many everyday activities and much of scientific exploration rely on the availability of optimized, inexpensive computing devices. Historically, it was possible to continuously improve the characteristics of processors and memories (e.g., processing speed and capacity) while reducing cost. A typical computer in the early 80's cost several tens of thousands, while today just a few hundred dollars while being more than 1000 times as powerful. Much of the communications and computing industry relies on this trend. A key mechanism for improving processors and memories is computer architecture which studies how to build such devices given the available manufacturing technologies while taking into consideration the applications that these devices will be used for. Computer architecture faces continuous challenges since the properties of the underlying manufacturing technology and the applications change significantly over time. Processor and memory design is today at a critical junction due to a drastic slowdown in certain underlying manufacturing technology trends. This research revisits how we build processors and memory systems aiming at mitigating these challenges. It takes advantage of the properties of new applications that have emerged as processors are embedded in many devices besides conventional computers and with the emergence of multimedia and internet oriented uses. A variety of devices ranging from smart-phones to supercomputers will benefit from this research.