Designed to reduce the carbon footprint of the world’s shipping industry, the robot offers a solution to spiralling fuel costs and marine related pollution while removing harmful, non-indigenous species that could be transferred to local waters.
Operating in a similar way to the automatic carpet cleaner, the robot has been developed out of an EU-funded project called HISMAR (Hull Identification System for Marine Autonomous Robotics) and is able to navigate its own way across the ship’s hull.
First a map of the hull is automatically charted, recording the location of every weld, thickness change, rivet and indentation on the ship’s surface.
The robot is magnetically attached to the ship’s side and sent off on its journey of the hull, following a planned route and cleaning as it goes.
Adjustable jets of pressurised sea water blast the marine growth off the surface of the ship which is then sucked up into the main chamber.
Here, 150 litres of water a minute is filtered and the bio-fouling removed and rendered harmless to the local environment.
In this way, the ship’s robotic ‘vacuum’ can continuously roam the ship’s hull, preventing the build up of slime and allowing it to travel through the water efficiently by cutting down on drag.
This significantly reduces fuel consumption and also pollution such as the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.
Newcastle University’s Professor Tony Roskilly, leading the project, said: 'Marine growth on ships is a huge environmental and financial problem for the marine industry and HISMAR offers a unique solution to both of these – and more.
'What we have created is a system that works totally independently – in or out of the water – and not only keeps the ship clean but also feeds back vital information about the hull’s condition.
'Because the map it follows is so detailed, if there is a change to its path caused by corrosion or a crack in the steel then it feeds this information back. This means it can be used as an additional check on the seaworthiness of the ship’s hull or highlight potential future problems.
'And because the drive module and navigational system are separate to the cleaning tools we hope that ultimately we will be able to fit it with different tools to carry out different tasks – such as stripping and painting the hull.'
Led by Newcastle University, the international team of experts will present a prototype of the robot at the largest marine maintenance fair in the world - Shipbuilding, Machinery and Marine Technology in Hamburg - on September 23rd.
Until the beginning of this year, ships used antifouling paints to protect them from the corrosive environment, with Tributyltin (TBT) added as a biocide to also prevent marine growth.
However, it was found to contaminate the surrounding water – having a serious detrimental impact on other marine life - and this summer it became illegal worldwide to use TBT antifouling coatings.
Newcastle University’s Jonathan Heslop, a researcher on the project, explains: 'All other developed cleaning or inspection systems currently available are remotely controlled during their operation, requiring highly skilled and experienced operators to effectively clean the hull, while the ship is out of operation and usually out of the water.
'The advantage of the HISMAR robot is that it is an autonomous system so it can continue cleaning with the ship remaining in service – feeding back hull information as it does so – resulting in very little build up of slime, reduced fuel costs and much less pollution.'
The HISMAR robot uses a novel optical dead-reckoning system in conjunction with a magnetic system to identify the location of surface and sub-surface features to build up a detailed map of the ship’s hull. It is this navigation system which allows the robot to operate above and below the waterline whilst the ship is in port or at anchor.
Provided by Newcastle University
Alpha Technology Headline Animator
Thursday 3 September 2009
Canon D10 great for underwater photography
I might be a little biased since I have worked for Canon, but the proof is in the photos. I took the camera on a snorkeling trip last month in the Caribbean, in addition to lots of use in swimming pools, and each time it performed to perfection.
In each case, I set the camera on auto white balance (AWB) and chose the underwater scene mode. In addition to being waterproof, the submarine looking camera is 12 megapixels, freeze proof and shockproof. Even with all these features, it requires no underwater housing like previous Canon cameras.
Other features include a 3X optical zoom with 35mm film equivalent of 35-105mm, optical image stabilization and a movie mode, which films at 30 frames per second. The waterproof feature is good to 33 feet and can operate in temperatures from 14 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. The shockproof feature works from four feet.
Face recognition, red-eye controls, a 2.5-inch LCD and Canon's advanced DIGIC 4 image processor are included. In simple terms, the processor is what makes the digital images look good in both day and night scenes.
The D10 offers 21 shooting modes, including auto, sunset, fireworks, aquarium, underwater, ISO 3200, indoor, kids & pets and movie mode.
An optional accessory kit can be purchased separately and includes cables that can tether the camera to a carabineer strap, a shoulder and neck strap as well as front covers. The covers simply change the look of the camera but the cables are a handy item when underwater.
Taking underwater photos is very different than on land. Before going into the water, users should set all their settings and become familiar with the camera's functions. Testing it in a pool is a great idea before adventuring into deeper water.
___
Protection is a good thing for today's digital gadgets and iSkin has few new products to help out.
The first is the ProTouch keyboard protector, which is a silicone product for Macintosh computers.
To me, it's a rubber mat, which fits nicely on top of your keyboard. iSkin says it has "built-in Microban protection provides continuous cleaning action, inhibiting the growth of damaging microbes, such as bacteria, that can cause stains, odors and product deterioration."
What it all means is the product is a nice addition to any of today's current Macintosh laptops. When not in use, it can be rolled up or just stuffed into any computer bag, but with my MacBook Pro I'm able to keep it on the keyboard even when the laptop is closed.
If you do get a spill on it or it gets dirty, just wash it with warm water and detergent. Please make sure its 100 percent dry before using it again.
They come in different styles and colors depending on the computer model so check the iSkin website for pricing and styles.
Another new product is the iSkin Vibes and Vibes FX. These are a new line of cases designed to protect several of today's popular BlackBerrys (Curve 8900, Bold 9000 and Storm 9500).
They fit on the devices like a glove to offer protection from dust, dirt and scratches. Each case also features a non-slip surface along with built-in button and port access along with a protective ultra-clear screen film cover.
___
YesVideo has a solution for the stacks of VHS tapes or even 8mm movies many people have tucked away in a closet. With technology changing by the minute, it's even hard to find a VHS player at most any electronic store and an 8mm projector is limited to garage sales or eBay.
YesVideo makes it simple for users to put those old memories to use by converting them to DVD's. In addition to the footage you supply, they will add chapter menus, themes and other personalized touches to produce professional-quality videos. The service also includes the transfer of 35mm slides and prints to DVD's.
The company's new Order Form Wizard online tool helps customers through the ordering process. The step-by-step form will prepare the DVD orders and give an estimate of costs.
With the new system, users will easily find features, pricing, options and instructions before dropping the order off for processing at one of the participating retailers. Those include Costco, CVS/pharmacy, Ritz/Wolf Camera, Rite Aid and Walgreens.
"Consumers know their memories fade away on legacy formats such as 8mm film or VHS tapes and it's smart to move to the latest DVD technologies. We are committed not only to providing the highest quality video transfer service available, but to ensure that the customer experience as hassle-free as possible," said Gregory Ayres, Chief Operating Officer of YesVideo in a recent press release.
On the web: yesvideo.com
In each case, I set the camera on auto white balance (AWB) and chose the underwater scene mode. In addition to being waterproof, the submarine looking camera is 12 megapixels, freeze proof and shockproof. Even with all these features, it requires no underwater housing like previous Canon cameras.
Other features include a 3X optical zoom with 35mm film equivalent of 35-105mm, optical image stabilization and a movie mode, which films at 30 frames per second. The waterproof feature is good to 33 feet and can operate in temperatures from 14 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. The shockproof feature works from four feet.
Face recognition, red-eye controls, a 2.5-inch LCD and Canon's advanced DIGIC 4 image processor are included. In simple terms, the processor is what makes the digital images look good in both day and night scenes.
The D10 offers 21 shooting modes, including auto, sunset, fireworks, aquarium, underwater, ISO 3200, indoor, kids & pets and movie mode.
An optional accessory kit can be purchased separately and includes cables that can tether the camera to a carabineer strap, a shoulder and neck strap as well as front covers. The covers simply change the look of the camera but the cables are a handy item when underwater.
Taking underwater photos is very different than on land. Before going into the water, users should set all their settings and become familiar with the camera's functions. Testing it in a pool is a great idea before adventuring into deeper water.
___
Protection is a good thing for today's digital gadgets and iSkin has few new products to help out.
The first is the ProTouch keyboard protector, which is a silicone product for Macintosh computers.
To me, it's a rubber mat, which fits nicely on top of your keyboard. iSkin says it has "built-in Microban protection provides continuous cleaning action, inhibiting the growth of damaging microbes, such as bacteria, that can cause stains, odors and product deterioration."
What it all means is the product is a nice addition to any of today's current Macintosh laptops. When not in use, it can be rolled up or just stuffed into any computer bag, but with my MacBook Pro I'm able to keep it on the keyboard even when the laptop is closed.
If you do get a spill on it or it gets dirty, just wash it with warm water and detergent. Please make sure its 100 percent dry before using it again.
They come in different styles and colors depending on the computer model so check the iSkin website for pricing and styles.
Another new product is the iSkin Vibes and Vibes FX. These are a new line of cases designed to protect several of today's popular BlackBerrys (Curve 8900, Bold 9000 and Storm 9500).
They fit on the devices like a glove to offer protection from dust, dirt and scratches. Each case also features a non-slip surface along with built-in button and port access along with a protective ultra-clear screen film cover.
___
YesVideo has a solution for the stacks of VHS tapes or even 8mm movies many people have tucked away in a closet. With technology changing by the minute, it's even hard to find a VHS player at most any electronic store and an 8mm projector is limited to garage sales or eBay.
YesVideo makes it simple for users to put those old memories to use by converting them to DVD's. In addition to the footage you supply, they will add chapter menus, themes and other personalized touches to produce professional-quality videos. The service also includes the transfer of 35mm slides and prints to DVD's.
The company's new Order Form Wizard online tool helps customers through the ordering process. The step-by-step form will prepare the DVD orders and give an estimate of costs.
With the new system, users will easily find features, pricing, options and instructions before dropping the order off for processing at one of the participating retailers. Those include Costco, CVS/pharmacy, Ritz/Wolf Camera, Rite Aid and Walgreens.
"Consumers know their memories fade away on legacy formats such as 8mm film or VHS tapes and it's smart to move to the latest DVD technologies. We are committed not only to providing the highest quality video transfer service available, but to ensure that the customer experience as hassle-free as possible," said Gregory Ayres, Chief Operating Officer of YesVideo in a recent press release.
On the web: yesvideo.com
New Solar Underwater Robot Technology
Image: Solar-powered Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (SAUV). Photo: RPI/Sanderson in collaboration with Autonomous Undersea Systems Institute, Falmouth Scientific Inc., and Naval Undersea Warfare Center.
Arthur C. Sanderson, professor of electrical, computer, and systems engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will display the robotic technology being developed by a team of research groups, including Rensselaer, and led by the Autonomous Undersea Systems Institute directed by D. Richard Blidberg.
Sanderson also will participate on a panel of six robotics experts who recently completed a study to be released at the Sept. 16 workshop. The World Technology Evaluation Center International Study of Robotics is a two-year look at robotics research and development in the United States, Japan, Korea, and Western Europe.
As the principal investigator of an NSF-funded project called RiverNet, Sanderson is working collaboratively with other researchers to develop a network of distributed sensing devices and water-monitoring robots, including the first solar-powered autonomous underwater vehicles (SAUVs).
“Once fully realized, this underwater robot technology will allow better observation and monitoring of complex aquatic systems, and will support advances in basic environmental science as well as applications to environmental management and security and defense programs,” said Sanderson.
The SAUV technology allows underwater robots to be deployed long-term by using solar power to replenish onboard energy. Long-term deployment of SAUVs will allow detection of chemical and biological trends in lakes, rivers, and waterways that may guide the management and improvement of water quality. Autonomous underwater vehicles equipped with sensors are currently used for water monitoring, but must be taken out of the water frequently to recharge the batteries.
According to Sanderson, the SAUVs communicate and network with one another in real time to assess a water body as a whole in measuring how it changes over space and time. Key technologies used in SAUVs include integrated sensor microsystems, pervasive computing, wireless communications, and sensor mobility with robotics. Sanderson notes that the underwater vehicles have captured the attention of the U.S. Navy, which will evaluate their use for coastal surveillance applications.
The SAUV weighs 370 pounds, travels at speeds of up to 2 miles per hour, and is designed to dive to depths of 500 meters.
Sanderson and his colleagues will continue field testing the vehicles in coming months at locations including Rensselaer’s Darrin Fresh Water Institute on Lake George, N.Y., to determine communication, interaction, and maneuvering capabilities in testing dissolved oxygen levels, one of the most important indicators of water quality for aquatic life.
Sanderson is collaborating on SAUV development with the Autonomous Undersea Systems Institute, Falmouth Scientific Inc., the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, and Technology Systems Inc.
The Sept. 16 workshop is sponsored by NSF, NASA, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The international robotics study was organized by the World Technology Evaluation Center, a United States-based organization conducting international research assessments.
“This gathering of researchers and their robots shows the necessity of federal support for basic research that leads to new technologies with useful applications in health care, the environment, and industry,” said Sanderson.
Source: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Tuesday 1 September 2009
Latest Invention: Lip-Reading Computers Able to Identify Different Languages
One of the latest inventions created by scientists from the University of East Anglia (UEA) are lip-reading computers that are able to identify different languages.
Scientists managed to come up with lip-reading computers some time earlier but now they created the first computer that can really distinguish different languages. This latest invention could prove to be very useful for people with hearing problems, as well as for law enforcement agencies, and in noisy environments.
The revolutionary research is currently led by Stephen Cox and Jake Newman of UEA's School of Computing Sciences. They will present their latest invention at a major conference that will take place in Taiwan on April 22.
It is worth mentioning that the technology was built up by statistical modeling of the lip movements developed by a team of 23 bilingual and trilingual speakers. The system could distinguish any language with extremely high accuracy. It could identify English, French, German, Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, Italian, Polish and Russian, reports the UEA website.
"This is the first scientific confirmation that when people speak different languages, they use different mouth shapes in different sequences," outlined Prof Cox.
"For example, we found frequent 'lip-rounding' among French speakers and more prominent tongue movements among Arabic speakers," he added.
The study was funded by the EPSRC and is a part of a larger project of the University of East Anglia that focuses on automatic lip-reading. Soon scientists will start working on the system closer to an individual's physiology and their way of speaking.
Thursday 27 August 2009
Dell Studio 15 Laptop Computer (Intel Core 2 Duo T5850, 320GB HDD, 3GB)
Parsing the intended markets for Dell's ever-shifting in-house brand names requires a bit of tea-leaf reading, although it's been easier of late, with the company stripping down its consumer brands to just the Inspiron and XPS lines. Now the company is adding a new line between the budget Inspiron and the high-end XPS. The new Studio line, as personified by the $1,250 15-inch Studio 15, has the same tapered shape, slot-loading optical drive, and rounded hinge as the Dell XPS M1530, but a similarly configured Studio system costs roughly $300 less than a similarly outfitted XPS.
The trade-off is mostly in size and finish. Even though it has a similar look, the Studio laptop is about 25 percent thicker and slightly heavier than its more upscale XPS cousin, with plastic accents instead of metal. We'd be tempted to toss in the extra $300 for the brushed-metal wrist rest and slimmer design of the XPS, but the Studio line does offer personalization options (lots of colors and graphic imprints) beyond what's available for Dell's other laptops, along with a slot-loading optical drive and credit-card-style media remote for about $200 more than a similarly configured Inspiron 1525 (not including discrete graphics, which are not available on the 1525).
| Price as reviewed / Starting price | $1,189 / $799 |
| Processor | 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 |
| Memory | 2GB, 667MHz DDR2 |
| Hard drive | 250GB 5,400rpm |
| Chipset | Intel GM965 |
| Graphics | ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3400 |
| Operating System | Windows Vista Premium |
| Dimensions (WDH) | 14 x 10.16 x 1.25 inches |
| Screen size (diagonal) | 15.4 inches |
| System weight / Weight with AC adapter | 6.0 / 7.2 pounds |
| Category | Mainstream |
While clearly inspired by the popular XPS M1530, the Studio 15 has a more angular look, with its large side hinges curving the screen down at a sharp angle; the XPS presents a more rounded look. At 6 pounds, it's a bit heavy to tote around every day, but still at the lower end of the 15-inch scale, around 6 pounds. Our early review unit had a matte midnight blue lid, but there are a variety of color options. We've also seen some leaked shots online of several artistic designs motifs that should be available in the future, which we've previously covered on Crave.
The Studio 15 follows Dell's recent, and welcome, trend of putting HDMI outputs and touch-sensitive control buttons on just about every laptop--you can also get those on even the cheapest Inspiron 15-inch. Like the XPS 1530, it has a slot-loading optical drive and an Express Card slot that doubles as a holder for a credit-card-style media remote.
Also like the XPS M1530, the Studio 15 has a 15.4-inch LED backlit display with a native resolution of 1,440x900, which is standard for higher-end midsize laptops. Dell's cheaper Inspiron 1525 has a 1,280x800 display, but the extra screen real estate at the higher resolution in the Studio 15 makes for a much less cluttered desktop. We prefer these newer LED displays (over older LCD models lit by a fluorescent lamp) because of their lighter weight, brighter whites, and lower power consumption.
| Dell Studio 15 | Average for category [Mainstream] | |
| Video | HDMI, VGA-out | VGA-out, S-Video |
| Audio | Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks | Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks |
| Data | 4 USB 2.0, mini-FireWire, multi-format memory card reader | 4 USB 2.0, SD card reader |
| Expansion | PC Card slot | ExpressCard/54 |
| Networking | Modem, Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, optional Bluetooth | modem, Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, optional WWAN |
| Optical drive | DVD burner | DVD burner |
Intel's 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 CPU is the current default for mainstream performance, and the Dell Studio 15 easily outperformed Dell's 14- and 15-inch Inspirons with slower 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5750 processors, as well as the most recent XPS 1530 we looked at, which had an older 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500. But for most typical tasks, including Web surfing, working on Office documents, media playback, etc., any of these CPUs would be more than adequate. We'd expect new CPUs from Intel's Centrino 2 refresh later in the summer.
While it's not the top of the video card food chain, the 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD3400 will provide for some basic gaming muscle. We got around 17 frames per second on Unreal Tournament III at 1,280x800. Tweaking the settings and turning down the detail level should get more playable frame rates in the mid-20s, but this system is targeted more at creative types, not hard-core gamers.
The Studio 15 ran for 2 hours and 46 minutes on our video playback battery drain test, using the included six-cell battery. That's reasonable for a midsize laptops, and our battery drain test is especially grueling, so you can expect longer life from casual Web surfing and office use--we got more than 3 hours out of it in anecdotal use.
Dell includes an industry-standard one-year parts-and-labor warranty with the system, which includes extra features such as 3GB of online backup storage space though Dell's DataSafe program. Support is accessible through a 24-7 toll-free phone line, and an extensive online knowledge base and driver downloads.
Multimedia multitasking test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Dell XPS m1530
949
Dell Studio 15
1,040
Dell Inspiron 1420-123B
1,169
Dell Inspiron 1525-122B
1,176
Adobe Photoshop CS3 image-processing test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Dell Studio 15
202
Dell Inspiron 1420-123B
226
Dell Inspiron 1525-122B
231
Dell XPS m1530
273
Apple iTunes encoding test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Dell Inspiron 1525-122B
205
Dell Inspiron 1420-123B
204
Dell Studio 15
167
Dell XPS m1530
186
Video playback battery drain test (in minutes)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Dell Inspiron 1525-122B
135
Dell Studio 15
166
Dell Inspiron 1420-123B
195
Dell XPS m1530
202
Find out more about how we test laptops.
System configurations:
Dell Studio 15
Windows Vista Home Premium Edition SP1; 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T8100; 2048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD3400; 250GB Western Digital 5,400rpm
Dell Inspiron 1420
Windows Vista Home Premium Edition SP1; 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5750; 3072MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB Mobile Intel 965GM Express; 250GB Western Digital 5,400rpm
Inspiron 1525
Windows Vista Home Premium Edition SP1; 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5750; 3072MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB Mobile Intel 965GM Express; 250GB Western Digital 5,400rpm
Dell XPS M1530
Windows Vista Home Premium Edition; 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500; 2048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 256MB Nvidia Geforce 8600M GT; 160GB Hitachi 5,400rpm
Massive cache for 8-core processor designed for high performance, low power and high yield
Intel recently described a 24MB 24-way set associative 8-ported 3rd level cache for an upcoming 8-core Intel® Xeon® Processor with design emphasis on high density, low power and design reuse. It features a 0.3816 μm2 bit cell in a 45nm high-k metal gate technology using 9 copper interconnect layers. Sleep transistors are used extensively to minimize the leakage power. A shutoff option is available to eliminate the leakage power in disabled portions of the cache. Fine-grained clock gating is implemented to reduce dynamic power. A separate power supply for the cache allows it to be run at the lowest operating voltage to minimize power consumption while meeting the frequency target. During shutoff, the power supply of the SRAM can be as low as 0.36V, which saves approximately 83% of leakage power. There is an extensive redundancy scheme to ensure the manufacturability of the processor. Together, these features enable Intel to produce a massive 45nm cache, which in turn enables a very high performance, yet also very energy-efficient, Intel Xeon processor. Details were presented recently at the 2009 VLSI Circuits Symposium in Kyoto, Japan.
Intel's new technology : The Itanium 2
Intel's Itanium processors were 64-bit chips, specifically designed for high-end enterprise and high-performance applications. The Itanium 2 processor was the second in the Itanium processor family. Intel faced major challenges in gaining acceptance for Itanium. Intel had put tremendous amounts of energy and money behind Itanium. Intel's IA-64 fund, started by Intel for encouraging the use of Intel architecture, had invested heavily in start-ups to assist them in developing Itanium-based applications and worked extensively with established hardware and software
manufacturers to get them involved in Itanium-based projects. Would Itanium 2 also share the same fate as Itanium 1 or would the tech world embrace this new processor? The article illustrates the challenges involved in gaining market acceptance for a new technology.
In early 2003, Intel, the largest producer of microprocessors in the world, launched the company's new 64-bit microprocessor, the Itanium 2. Intel spent billions of dollars on Itanium 2 to take on IBM and Sun Microsystems [Sun] in the $25 bn market for the 64-bit servers.
The predecessor to Itanium 2, the Itanium 1 was a failure. The Itanium 2 processor is the second in the Itanium processor family. Itanium processors were specifically designed for high-end enterprise and high-performance applications, like business intelligence, databases, enterprise resource planning, supply chain management, high-performance computing, and computer-aided engineering. The Itanium 2 supports high transaction volumes, complex calculations and vast amounts of data and users. The processor's Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing (EPIC) design[1] and 3 MB integrated Level 3 (L3)[2] cache enables high processing rates and performance for faster online transaction processing, data analysis, and simulation and rendering.
The processor also boasts advanced reliability features, including extensive error detection and correction on the processor's major data structures. Itanium 2 also has an advanced Machine Check Architecture for intelligent error management and recovery of complex platform errors to prevent data loss, corruption and down time.
The Itanium 2 is also socket-compatible with two future generations of Itanium family processors to allow them to be easily swapped into existing Itanium 2-based systems. This extended the value and longevity of customer investments in Itanium 2-based platforms. In addition, Intel has five future Itanium processor family products in development, with designs already underway that reached into the second half of the decade. But Intel faced major challenges in gaining acceptance for 64-bit chips. The shift to 64-bit computing is not merely a matter of upgrading the Pentium. Itanium 2 requires computer makers to redesign their hardware and software companies, effectively requiring them to rewrite all their code. While Itanium I has been a failure, the timing of the launch of Itanium 2 is a cause for concern. Following the dotcom crash, the tech market is witnessing a major downturn.
The Itanium 2
The Itanium 2 processor has been designed for demanding enterprise and technical applications. Intel claimed the processor offered up to 50% higher transaction processing performance than comparable platforms from Sun Microsystems [Sun] and at lower costs. Intel also believes Itanium provided flexibility and choice through the support of a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, HP, and Linux and via a growing base of applications targeted at high-end enterprise and technical computing environments. Itanium 2 offers as much as twice the performance of its parent chip, the Itanium 1. Itanium 2 enables computer manufacturers to build either four- or eight-way Itanium 2 servers. A Scalability Port enables manufactures to expand outwards into configurations beyond eight-way systems. The Scalability Port (SP) is a point-to-point cache consistent interface to build scalable-shared memory multiprocessors. The SP interface consists of three layers of abstraction:
The Physical Layer, the Link Layer and the Protocol Layer. The Physical Layer uses pin-efficient simultaneous bi-directional signaling and operated at 800 MHz in each direction. The Link Layer supports virtual channels and provided flow control and reliable transmission. The Protocol Layer implements cache consistency, synchronization, and interrupt delivery functions among others. The first implementation of the SP interface is in the Intel's E8870 and E9870 chipset for the Intel Itanium 2 processor and future generations of the Itanium processor family. The E8870 chipset is the first of a new generation of chipset architecture, specifically designed to meet the needs of high-end server platform segments. The E8870 chipset, optimized for the Itanium 2 processor, provides new levels of performance, scalability, and enhanced error detection, correction and containment. Forward-compatibility with future versions of the Itanium processor family is also a feature of the Itanium 2 processor.
Itanium 2 is fabricated on an .18-micron process, similar to Itanium, and initially shipped at 900MHz and 1GHz. The top clock speed is only 25% faster than the Itanium but Itanium 2 demonstrated 1.5 times performance improvements in applications over Itanium. The improved performance is due to both micro-architectural improvements and chip/platform bandwidth enhancements. One of the biggest performance enhancers is the L3 cache being on-die in Itanium 2 versus off-die in Itanium[3] . As a result, significant reduction in latencies and increase in bandwidth is possible.
Itanium 2 could only process six instructions (two bundles of three instructions each) at once, similar to Itanium 1, but Itanium 2 could handle more diverse groupings of instructions. Though IA-64 supported a 64-bit address space, and Itanium 2 supported 64-bit virtual memory addressing, it only supported 50-bits of physical address pins and larger than the 44 bits of physical addressing on the Itanium. Intel claimed four customer-specific chipsets would support the Itanium 2: The HP zx1; the Hitachi ColdFusion-2 (CF-2); the IBM Enterprise X-Architecture's “Summit” chipset; and an unnamed NEC Itanium chipset. In addition, Groupe Bull and Unisys were adapting the E8870 architecture to develop customized systems. The companies designing Itanium 2 chipsets represented first-generation Itanium customers. In total, counting some unannounced products, Intel believed nine chipsets supported the Itanium 2.
manufacturers to get them involved in Itanium-based projects. Would Itanium 2 also share the same fate as Itanium 1 or would the tech world embrace this new processor? The article illustrates the challenges involved in gaining market acceptance for a new technology.
In early 2003, Intel, the largest producer of microprocessors in the world, launched the company's new 64-bit microprocessor, the Itanium 2. Intel spent billions of dollars on Itanium 2 to take on IBM and Sun Microsystems [Sun] in the $25 bn market for the 64-bit servers.
The predecessor to Itanium 2, the Itanium 1 was a failure. The Itanium 2 processor is the second in the Itanium processor family. Itanium processors were specifically designed for high-end enterprise and high-performance applications, like business intelligence, databases, enterprise resource planning, supply chain management, high-performance computing, and computer-aided engineering. The Itanium 2 supports high transaction volumes, complex calculations and vast amounts of data and users. The processor's Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing (EPIC) design[1] and 3 MB integrated Level 3 (L3)[2] cache enables high processing rates and performance for faster online transaction processing, data analysis, and simulation and rendering.
The processor also boasts advanced reliability features, including extensive error detection and correction on the processor's major data structures. Itanium 2 also has an advanced Machine Check Architecture for intelligent error management and recovery of complex platform errors to prevent data loss, corruption and down time.
The Itanium 2 is also socket-compatible with two future generations of Itanium family processors to allow them to be easily swapped into existing Itanium 2-based systems. This extended the value and longevity of customer investments in Itanium 2-based platforms. In addition, Intel has five future Itanium processor family products in development, with designs already underway that reached into the second half of the decade. But Intel faced major challenges in gaining acceptance for 64-bit chips. The shift to 64-bit computing is not merely a matter of upgrading the Pentium. Itanium 2 requires computer makers to redesign their hardware and software companies, effectively requiring them to rewrite all their code. While Itanium I has been a failure, the timing of the launch of Itanium 2 is a cause for concern. Following the dotcom crash, the tech market is witnessing a major downturn.
The Itanium 2
The Itanium 2 processor has been designed for demanding enterprise and technical applications. Intel claimed the processor offered up to 50% higher transaction processing performance than comparable platforms from Sun Microsystems [Sun] and at lower costs. Intel also believes Itanium provided flexibility and choice through the support of a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, HP, and Linux and via a growing base of applications targeted at high-end enterprise and technical computing environments. Itanium 2 offers as much as twice the performance of its parent chip, the Itanium 1. Itanium 2 enables computer manufacturers to build either four- or eight-way Itanium 2 servers. A Scalability Port enables manufactures to expand outwards into configurations beyond eight-way systems. The Scalability Port (SP) is a point-to-point cache consistent interface to build scalable-shared memory multiprocessors. The SP interface consists of three layers of abstraction:
The Physical Layer, the Link Layer and the Protocol Layer. The Physical Layer uses pin-efficient simultaneous bi-directional signaling and operated at 800 MHz in each direction. The Link Layer supports virtual channels and provided flow control and reliable transmission. The Protocol Layer implements cache consistency, synchronization, and interrupt delivery functions among others. The first implementation of the SP interface is in the Intel's E8870 and E9870 chipset for the Intel Itanium 2 processor and future generations of the Itanium processor family. The E8870 chipset is the first of a new generation of chipset architecture, specifically designed to meet the needs of high-end server platform segments. The E8870 chipset, optimized for the Itanium 2 processor, provides new levels of performance, scalability, and enhanced error detection, correction and containment. Forward-compatibility with future versions of the Itanium processor family is also a feature of the Itanium 2 processor.
Itanium 2 is fabricated on an .18-micron process, similar to Itanium, and initially shipped at 900MHz and 1GHz. The top clock speed is only 25% faster than the Itanium but Itanium 2 demonstrated 1.5 times performance improvements in applications over Itanium. The improved performance is due to both micro-architectural improvements and chip/platform bandwidth enhancements. One of the biggest performance enhancers is the L3 cache being on-die in Itanium 2 versus off-die in Itanium[3] . As a result, significant reduction in latencies and increase in bandwidth is possible.
Itanium 2 could only process six instructions (two bundles of three instructions each) at once, similar to Itanium 1, but Itanium 2 could handle more diverse groupings of instructions. Though IA-64 supported a 64-bit address space, and Itanium 2 supported 64-bit virtual memory addressing, it only supported 50-bits of physical address pins and larger than the 44 bits of physical addressing on the Itanium. Intel claimed four customer-specific chipsets would support the Itanium 2: The HP zx1; the Hitachi ColdFusion-2 (CF-2); the IBM Enterprise X-Architecture's “Summit” chipset; and an unnamed NEC Itanium chipset. In addition, Groupe Bull and Unisys were adapting the E8870 architecture to develop customized systems. The companies designing Itanium 2 chipsets represented first-generation Itanium customers. In total, counting some unannounced products, Intel believed nine chipsets supported the Itanium 2.
Intel reveals new technologies EUV technology
In the middle of the African desert, among the Moroccan dunes of Mezouga, Intel decided to present to the French press the strategies for the near future regarding the development and marketing of the processors. After launching at the beginning of this week the dual-core processors and after long debates about Moore's law which is still standing even after 40 years, the company began to talk about a new perspective on the technologies regarding the manufacturing process.
After a brief mentioning of the first silicon processor, Intel emphasized its advantages on the production of advanced processing solutions. Having 5 factories spread all over the world and the possibility to manufacture wafers of 300 mm, Intel wants to push the manufacturing process to a whole new level: the company targets the implementation of the High-K technology and migrating until 2007 to the 45 nanometer graving solution. The secret to this is a grid isolator whose role is to prevent the electron leakage. In the same time, Intel will start using metallic electrodes, and starting with 2007 and until 2009, the producer estimated it will change the structure of the transistors by introducing the Tri-Gate solutions. Using an original non-planar arrangement of transistors, Intel hopes to optimize their properties. This optimization consists in the simplification and acceleration of electrons, avoiding in the same time the specific problems of electron leakage.
Normally, the electrons flow in a horizontal plan, but using these solutions will make them flow both on vertical and on horizontal direction. The cells of the Tri-Gate processors will communicate through nanomolecular connections, and once the nanotube type transistors appear, the diameter of each transistor will decrease under the 2 nanometer limit.
Intel is also planning the progressive transition to the EUV technology, or Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography, a solution that allows the graving of the processors at 32 nanometers and which will be available by 2009.
After a brief mentioning of the first silicon processor, Intel emphasized its advantages on the production of advanced processing solutions. Having 5 factories spread all over the world and the possibility to manufacture wafers of 300 mm, Intel wants to push the manufacturing process to a whole new level: the company targets the implementation of the High-K technology and migrating until 2007 to the 45 nanometer graving solution. The secret to this is a grid isolator whose role is to prevent the electron leakage. In the same time, Intel will start using metallic electrodes, and starting with 2007 and until 2009, the producer estimated it will change the structure of the transistors by introducing the Tri-Gate solutions. Using an original non-planar arrangement of transistors, Intel hopes to optimize their properties. This optimization consists in the simplification and acceleration of electrons, avoiding in the same time the specific problems of electron leakage.
Normally, the electrons flow in a horizontal plan, but using these solutions will make them flow both on vertical and on horizontal direction. The cells of the Tri-Gate processors will communicate through nanomolecular connections, and once the nanotube type transistors appear, the diameter of each transistor will decrease under the 2 nanometer limit.
Intel is also planning the progressive transition to the EUV technology, or Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography, a solution that allows the graving of the processors at 32 nanometers and which will be available by 2009.
Getting to the Core -- Intel's new flagship client brand
Nehalem. A small town along a river by the same name in Oregon, and also code-name for Intel’s next generation microarchitecture. Today Intel announced that upcoming products based on this new architecture will officially be called Intel® Core™ processors. Will Nehalem fade away as a code name? Probably not right away. But over time, if you want all the goodness that Nehalem represents, think Intel Core processor.
Speaking of goodness, a fair amount is known about Intel’s new microarchitecture, but not all technical details have been revealved. Expect to see and hear more about the new architecture and the upcoming Intel Core processors at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco August 19-21. Keep a close eye on Pat Gelsinger’s keynote speech on August 19.
The first products in this new family of processors, which will be in production in Q4 and feature a unique mix of performance and energy efficiency, will also carry a new identifier and be formally branded the Intel® Core™ i7 processor. Believe it or not, this new naming scheme should make it easier for PC buyers to decide which technology is right for them. The “i7” identifier is the first of several new identifiers to come as different Nehalem-based products launch over the next year.
So the Intel Core processor will become the foundation, the primary client brand going forward, with individual identifiers distinquishing different features and capabilities with the family of processorsSony Rolly
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