An Early Stage Exploration of Stochastic Computer Systems

传统上，计算系统一直被设计为始终正确计算--即，它们被设计为在所有系统条件下避免错误；实施容错策略主要是为了确保在面对系统中不可预见的和不常见的故障时继续正确地执行。这种保守的、最坏情况的设计哲学经常导致非常低效的设计，特别是在功率方面。本项目着眼于开发一种新的计算系统的可行性，称为随机计算机系统，它在面对延迟和功率等其他目标时执行尽力故障避免。随机计算机系统的主要好处将是允许使用非常低功耗但不可靠的技术，以及允许激进的低功耗优化。

Traditionally, computing systems have been designed to always compute correctly - i.e., they are designed for error avoidance under all system conditions; fault tolerance strategies are implemented primarily to ensure continued correct execution in face of unforeseen and infrequent faults in the system. This conservative, worst-case design philosophy often leads to very inefficient designs, especially in terms of power.This project looks at the feasibility of developing a new class of computing systems, referred to as stochastic computer systems that perform best-effort fault avoidance in face of other objectives like latency and power. The primary benefit of a stochastic computer system will be allowing the use of very low-power, but unreliable technologies, as well as allowing aggressive low-power optimizations.