The Desk-Top Supercomputer

EE October 1987 THE DESK-TOP SUPERCOMPUTER by Staniforth Webb Modular concepts of computer structure using large numbers of transputers, each as powerful as a mainframe installation, are bringing the vast computing power so far used only for such applications as meteorology or high-technology design down to the domain of the desk-top device. They will cut computing costs by some 90 per cent. Electronics engineers at Southampton University plan to unveil a supercomputer this year to match the most powerful machines now in service, but which could be produced and sold at about only one-tenth of their price. Designed by Dr Chris Jesshope and Dr Denis Nicole in the University"s De- partment of Electronic Engin- eering, it has been developed as part of the ESPRIT pro- gramme, the European initiative at government level which aims to keep advanced technology in Western Europe well abreast of that in other countries. The main reason for the low cost of the Southampton com- puter is that ...