'Inexact' Chips Save Power By Fudging the Math

Barence writes "Computer scientists have unveiled a computer chip that turns traditional thinking about mathematical accuracy on its head by fudging calculations. The concept works by allowing processing components — such as hardware for adding and multiplying numbers — to make a few mistakes, which means they are not working as hard, and so use less power and get through tasks more quickly. The Rice University researchers say prototypes are 15 times more efficient and could be used in some applications without having a negative effect."

Prediction

[Anonymous Coward]

37 posts about the Pentium division bug.

Re:Prediction

[Anonymous Coward]

You just deprived someone of their +5 Funny, you bastard.

Target Market

[SJHillman]

These chips will, of course, be aimed at government markets.

First Post!

[MyLongNickName]

This is first post according to my new power-efficient computer!

Re:I see what they did there

[ZeroSumHappiness]

I feel this is more relevant: http://xkcd.com/1047/ [xkcd.com]

PI

[Rik Sweeney]

"This isn't so much a circle as a square, what the hell's going on?!"
"Oh, that's because the chip in your machine doesn't accurately define PI, it rounds the value up"
"To what?"
"4"

Re:Prediction

[Anonymous Coward]

36.9999995796 posts about the Pentium division bug.

Fixed that for you.

A monkey job

[Corson]

In more recent news, computer scientists determined that monkeys can get the same job done even faster, and by using even less power, and by making, um... a lot more mistakes.

American Chips

[paleo2002]

This is exactly the problem with American chips lately. They're too lazy to put any effort into their work. Sure, they're "saving energy" but that just means they're going to become even more obese. Chips from many Asian manufacturers are already much more accurate and efficient than American ones. We need to encourage American chips to be more interested in STEM fields if we're ever going to turn our economy around!

I tried this in high school

[tomhath]

the concept works by allowing processing components — such as hardware for adding and multiplying numbers — to make a few mistakes, which means they are not working as hard

But my math teacher didn't understand the important difference between efficient and lazy.

Re:Whatcouldpossiblygowrong

[Roujo]

and how do you know which one is right?

With 4 chips, you can get 4 different answers.

The slowest one to give the answer, clearly. =P

Re:Prediction

[Chrisq]

You just deprived someone of their +5 Funny, you bastard.

My computer makes it a +4.7 funny.

Re:Prediction

[Anonymous Coward]

37 posts about the Pentium division bug.

By my estimation, at least half of the Slashdot readership isn't even old enough to remember the Pentium division bug.

You're making the somewhat unsupportable assumption that Slashdot is attracting younger new readers somehow.

Re:Prediction

[Woogiemonger]

37 posts about the Pentium division bug.

37! In a row?

Re:Prediction

[Anonymous Coward]

2^2==0