Supersmall Supercomputer

By Doug Barney

Supercomputers used to take up gobs of space much like an1960’s mainframe. Today with the help of multicore processors and graphicscompanies like NVIDIA Corp., of Santa Clara, CA,  asupercomputer can fit on a normal desk.

But miniaturization won’t stop there.Using nanowire technology (where wires are one thousand times thinner than ahuman hair), researchers now believe that supercomputers could literally fit inthe palm of your hand.

These devices wouldn’t just be used for typicalhigh-performance applications, but could bring serious horsepower to cellphones, handheld computers, and even future medical equipment – making theiPhone look like an old TI calculator.
Currently three universities, TheUniversity of Rome, University of Edinburgh, and the German-based KarlsruheInstitute of Technology are working on the concept.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7055423.stm