Self-wiring supercomputer is cool and compact

June 1, 2005 | Source: NewScientist.com News

An experimental supercomputer made from hardware that can reconfigure itself to tackle different software problems is being built by Edinburgh University researchers.

It will use Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) chips instead of conventional fixed, general-purpose processing devices.

The researchers say it could usher in a new generation of compact supercomputers over the coming decade that will be up to 100 times more energy efficient than a conventional supercomputer of equivalent computing power.