'Pruned' Microchips Twice As Fast and Efficient 127
Zothecula writes "If you had to use a commuting bicycle in a race, you would probably set about removing the kickstand, fenders, racks and lights to make the thing as fast and efficient as possible. When engineers at Houston's Rice University are developing small, fast, energy-efficient chips for use in devices like hearing aids, it turns out they do pretty much the same thing. The removal of portions of circuits that aren't essential to the task at hand is known as 'probabilistic pruning,' and it results in chips that are twice as fast, use half the power, and are half the size of conventional chips."
Training wheels (Score:2, Funny)
I'll be removing the training wheels off my Harley this afternoon... thanks to this article I can be badass and efficient
Now my computer won't start up! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Hm (Score:5, Funny)
The best part is that this can be applied iteratively. Once E is eliminated there's a new "least used" function which can be eliminated. By extension, any CPU can ultimately be pruned down to a single NOP instruction, with the entire rest of the instruction set emulated in software.
Re:Hm (Score:3, Funny)
"By extension, any CPU can ultimately be pruned down to a single NOP instruction, with the entire rest of the instruction set emulated in software."
Replace the CPU with a solar cell.
Not only can it perform NOPs at the same rate as any pruned CPU, but it also runs at a negative current draw when you open the lid (or if you have enough illuminated 'bling' fans installed).