21–28 of 28 posts
The thesis on which this is based: http://phm.cba.mit.edu/theses/03.07.vigoda.pdf edit: p 135 is where he starts talking about implementation in silicon
My Ph.D advisor will go crazy, he had his European research project on a probability computer turned down a few months ago.
Isn't this just the revenge of the analog computer? Not saying it's a bad idea... I'm really for the idea of revisiting assumptions in computer design.
That said, I'm more excited about the use of Lyric's technology in ECC memory. I'm skimming through Vigoda's thesis, and it seems that another very interesting application ought to be making even lower-power mobile backend chips.
Is it likely (in the future) to see more domain specific chips? Something like what http://www.deshawresearch.com/ has created---a custom chip Anton, optimised for Molecular Dynamics simulations.
The fundamental problem as I see it is that any domain-specific chip will receive a tiny fraction of R&D and economies of scale and amortization that a general purpose one will, and so its advantage is only temporary. As long as Moore's law is operating, this will be true.
Is it likely (in the future) to see more domain specific chips? Something like what http://www.deshawresearch.com/ has created---a custom chip Anton, optimised for Molecular Dynamics simulations.
Domain-specific chips is a cyclical trend. They come and go; at some times they have advantages, and at others they don't. (Remember Lisp machines? Good initially but vastly outperformed by the end of their lifespan.) See for example the classic 'wheel of reincarnation' paper on graphics: http://cva.stanford.edu/classes/cs99s/papers/myer-sutherland... The fundamental problem as I see it is that any domain-specific ch…
> In practice replacing digital computers with an alternative computing paradigm is a risky proposition. Alternative computing architectures, such as parallel digital computers have not tended to be commercially viable, because Moore’s Law has consistently enabled conventional von Neumann architectures to render alternatives unnecessary. Besides Moore’s Law, digital computing also benefits from mature tools and expertise for optimizing performance at all levels of the system: process technology, fundamental circuits, layout and algorithms. Many engineers are simultaneously working to improve every aspect of digital technology, while alternative technologies like analog computing do not have the same kind of industry juggernaut pushing them forward.
That's a turbo decoder rather than a generic probability calculator, but it's doing probability calculations in the analog domain.
This sort of thing may make sense for error correction, but I don't think people will run general probability calculations on it. Too difficult to debug :-)
Though, I do wonder if they can simulate a neuron more efficiently than digital logic.
But how do you connect it to the cup of no tea?