Title：Application-Optimized Processor Cores Massive Multi-Core Clusters

Speaker: Chris Rowen, Ph.D. CTO, Tensilica INC.

Time: May 28, 13:30, 2010

Venue: FIT 1-312

Contact: Youhui ZHANG (zyh02@tsinghua.edu.cn)

Abstract:

This talk starts by looking at the huge embedded computing dems of next-generation wireless communications, shows how multi-core system-on-chip with application-optimized processors is revolutionizing digital baseb multi-media design in the mobile terminal. Then it follows the Internet data stream through communications infrastructure into the computing cloud, to show how the same underlying architectural technologies – application-optimized processor cores massive multi-core clusters – now allows practical design of “exa-scale” supercomputing systems within feasible energy limits. This trend has significant technical commercial implications for the next 10 years, including the possible replacement of existing one-size-fits-all RISC CISC architectures in the most computationally-intensive tasks, an explosion of new system-on-chip design opportunities, emergence of new software infrastructure to support robust, secure computing in large-scale systems.

BIO:

Dr. Chris Rowen is the founder, chief technical officer, a member of the board of directors of Tensilica, Inc. He founded Tensilica in July 1997 to develop automatic generation of application-specific microprocessor cores for high-volume communication consumer systems. Using the approach Chris pioneered, customers today are achieving benchmark-breaking performance while significantly lowering power requirements – results that are not possible using traditional semiconductor design approaches.Chris got his doctorate degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University in the early 1980s. At Stanford, Chris helped co-develop a concept commonly called Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC). The project formed the basis for a new company, called MIPS, which Chris helped to found in 1984. In the 1990s, Chris is Silicon Graphics European CTO market development leader for graphics, supercomputing the Internet. In 1996, Chris became general manager of the Design Reuse Group at Synopsys in the early days of system-on-chip (SOC). This experience helped him realize the limitations of the current hardware-only oriented EDA mindset the shortcomings of existing embedded processor cores for SOC design, which inspired the genesis for Tensilica later.