In a keynote address opening the prestigious annual Hot Chips symposium, AMD (NYSE: AMD) CTO Mark Papermaster delivered a vision for the coming “Surround Computing Era,” and unveiled new processor architecture details which will enable technologies and design methodologies driving the next era in computing. Surround computing is an extension of pervasive and ambient computing trends and describes an environment where computing technologies are completely natural and seamless parts of daily life.

“Surround Computing imagines a world without keyboards or mice, where natural user interfaces based on voice and facial recognition redefine the PC experience, and where the cloud and clients collaborate to synthesize exabytes of image and natural language data. The ultimate goal is devices that deliver intelligent, relevant, contextual insight and value that improves consumers’ everyday life in real time through a variety of futuristic applications. AMD is leading the quest for devices that understand and anticipate users’ needs, are driven by natural user interfaces, and that disappear seamlessly into the background,” said Papermaster during his opening remarks.

Papermaster explained that the Surround Computing Era will rely on robust “plug-and-play” IP portfolios including central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), fixed function logic, and interconnect fabric. He also unveiled key details of AMD’s upcoming CPU architecture, codenamed “Steamroller,” while underscoring the benefits of the industry-standard Heterogeneous System Architecture (HSA) that enables software developers to easily assign scalar- and parallel-compute workloads to the most appropriate compute units, and therefore optimize power.

“The road that leads us to the Surround Computing Era will be no less challenging and every bit as exciting as the 20-year journey in graphics processing that brought gamers from ‘Pong’ to today’s modern game titles that feature stunning visual realism,” Papermaster explained. “It will take an industry movement to complete this journey, and HSA provides the clear path forward to enable this next generation in computing.”

Supporting Resources

   
• For more highlights of Mark Papermaster’s Hot Chips keynote, including video highlights from Papermaster and other AMD Hot Chips presenters, please read Mark Papermaster’s Hot Chips blog.