Special Computer Architectures

Lecturer:

Tutor:

Supervisor:

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Synopsis:

This course introduces students to non-standard computer architectures being optimized for a specific kind of calculations or purpose. The course is especially focused on signal processors, neurochips, fuzzy logic support in hardware, virtual mechines, dataflow architectures, and reconfigurable systems. Non-electrical, biological and quantum computing platforms are also reviewed.

Requirements:

Completing of all assignments and knowledge contained in lectures and recommended literature. Details can be found at http://service.felk.cvut.cz/courses/XED36SPA

Syllabus of lectures:

1. Introduction, basic computer architectures

2. Signal processor architectures

3. Fixed and floating point signal processors

4. Integer SIMD architectures (MMX)

5. Floting point SIMD architectures (3DNOW!, SSE)

6. VLIW architectures

7. Processor Itanium

8. Processor Cell

9. Neurochips and fuzzy processors, ZISC36 neurochip

10. Dataflow computers

11. Graphics accelerators

12. Reconfigurable architectures

13. Virtual computers, JVM, .NET, Postscript

14. Kvantum and biological computing

Syllabus of tutorials:

1. Introduction, task selection and solving

2. task solving

3. task solving

4. task solving

5. task solving

6. MMX technology

7. 3DNow!/SSE technology

8. Processor Itanium

9. Processor Itanium

10. ZISC36 neurochip

11. Dataflow processor

12. Cell processor

13. Task presentation

14. Reserved

Study Objective:

Study materials:

1. Sima, D., Fountain, T., Kacsuk, P.: Advanced Computer Architectures. Addison Wesley, 1999.

2. On-line technical literature. Intel, Texas Instruments, Sun Microsystems, AMD. Internet resources: http://www.intel.com, http://www.ti.com, http://www.sun.com, http://www.amd.com.

Note:

Further information:

No time-table has been prepared for this course

The course is a part of the following study plans:

• Computer Technology - Software Engineering- structured studies (compulsory elective course)
• Computer Technology - System Programming- structured studies (compulsory elective course)
• Computer Technology - Computer Graphics- structured studies (compulsory elective course)
• Computer Technology - Computer Network and Internet- structured studies (compulsory elective course)
• Computer Technology - Designing Digital Systems- structured studies (compulsory elective course)