Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Made in IBM Labs: New chip technology paves way to a faster Internet

ARMONK, USA: IBM has announced a new chip-making technology that can be used to create advanced semiconductors that can keep pace with the exploding number of internet-connected devices and the tidal wave of data they are generating.

The Cu-32 Custom Logic offering employs unique IBM technology -- designed by IBM Research -- to dramatically increase the memory capacity and processing speeds of chips used in fiber-optic and wireless networks, and in such gear as routers and switches. The technology can help manufacturers and network operators handle the data deluge driven by consumers' appetites for smart phones and other Web-connected devices.

Systems using chips made with Cu-32 for example, can result in:
* Cellular infrastructure that can move one year's worth of text messages (six trillion, worldwide in 2010) in less than ten seconds;
* A consumer downloading a feature-length film on a smart phone in less than ten seconds; or a HD version in under a minute;
* Routers that can stream every motion picture ever produced in less than one minute.

The number of people using the Internet has doubled in the past five years, with two billion logging-on in 2010. Smart phones, game consoles, digital TVs, GPS devices and MP3 players are among the consumer gadgets that now ride the internet.

As the world's infrastructure gets further digitized, connected and monitored, vast arrays of machine-to-machine sensors are also beginning to use the internet to transmit data on commuter traffic, buildings' energy usage or the health of newborn infants, for example.

Manufacturers of communications infrastructure will increasingly need breakthrough semiconductor technologies such as Cu-32 to keep up with the demand to secure, store and move an ever-growing amount of web traffic.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.