(via Adapteva)
Parallel computing, a form of super-computing, could be available to the general populous very soon if the folks over at Adapteva achieve their goal of manufacturing their open-sourced hardware platform with funding from Kickstarter. The Parallela computer platform (akin to Raspberry Pi and Arduino platforms) is based off of the company’s on-going development of their Epiphany multi-core chips (RISC core processors) which are connected with a single fast on-board memory architecture. Adapteva’s design features an ARM A9 dual-core CPU with the Epiphany Multicore Accelerator (with 16 or 64 cores based on preference), 1GB of RAM, a Micro SD slot with dual USB 2.0 connections along with Ethernet and HDMI connections. The mighty tiny PC will include the Linux-based Ubuntu OS for easy programming using the included free Epiphany development tool-kit which includes C compiler, OpenCL SDK/Compiler and multicore debugger among a host of others. According to Adapteva, once they’ve finished development of the platform it should pump-out 45GHz of equivalent CPU power on a board no bigger than a credit card! They also claim that it will do so while only consuming 5 watts of power while under normal workloads! Their brazen boldness continues as Adapteva states that the Parallel platform will only cost $99 US for the 16-core board (running at 13GHz and 26 gigaflops due to core multiplying) which will make it easier for developers to get their hands on for future product incorporation. Once the 16-core platform is complete they will begin manufacturing their 64-core design (which will require an additional $3-million US in funding) which features an incredible speed of 45GHz and 90 gigaflops at a price-point of $199 US. So far, the company has managed to raise over $285,000 of their target goal of $750,000 and have 17 days left before their funding time ends.
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