"Inexact" Computer Chip is 15X More Efficient By Making a Few Mistakes

© Avinash Lingamneni/Rice University/CSEM

Researchers at Rice University have unveiled a computer chip that is at least 15 times more efficient than today's technology and it achieves that efficiency through a surprising design. Most research is focused on making computing technology as accurate as possible, but the team turned that around and designed an "inexact" chip that occasionally makes errors, leading to not just better energy efficiency, but better processing performance too.

How can a computer chip that makes mistakes be better? Well, the team was able to manage the probability of errors when designing the chip and limited which calculations could produce errors. Rice University explains that by "pruning" away rarely used parts of digital circuits on a microchip, they were able to boost speed, cut energy use and make a chip that was about half the size of traditional microchips, while accepting a certain amount of errors.



© Rice University/CSEM/NTU


The inexact chip will find its way into applications where special-purpose embedded microchips are used, like hearing aids, cameras and other small electronics by 2013. Inexact hardware is also being used in the I-Slate educational tablet, which was designed for Indian classrooms with no electricity. Their small power requirement will allow them to run on small solar panels like those used on calculators. There are plans to get 50,000 I-Slates into classrooms in India over the next three years.

Tags: Computing | Energy Efficiency | Gadgets | Technology

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