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MultiClet is an ongoing innovation project for a
microprocessor A microprocessor is a computer processor (computing), processor for which the data processing logic and control is included on a single integrated circuit (IC), or a small number of ICs. The microprocessor contains the arithmetic, logic, a ...
that became the first post von Neumann,
multicellular A multicellular organism is an organism that consists of more than one cell (biology), cell, unlike unicellular organisms. All species of animals, Embryophyte, land plants and most fungi are multicellular, as are many algae, whereas a few organism ...
microprocessor, breaking the paradigm for computing technology that has been in place for more than 60 years. There have been attempts in the past to shift away from the von Neumann architecture. Under MultiClet, a 4-cellular dynamically reconfigurable microprocessor is implemented.


History

* In April 2013, the Russian company
Sputnix Sputnix (, also , "Satellite Innovative Space Systems") is a privatelyowned satellite construction company headquartered at the Skolkovo Innovation Center. It is one of Russia's first private space companies. It was founded in 2011 by ScanEx. ...
signed an agreement for joint development of the MultiClet microprocessor. * In January 2014, an announcement was made that the
FreeRTOS FreeRTOS is a real-time operating system Kernel (operating system), kernel for embedded devices that has been ported to 40 microcontroller platforms. It is distributed under the MIT License. History The FreeRTOS kernel was originally developed ...
operating system An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware and software resources, and provides common daemon (computing), services for computer programs. Time-sharing operating systems scheduler (computing), schedule tasks for ...
be ported to the MultiClet microprocessor, this demonstrates that the microprocessor potentially can perform tasks that makes it suitable for real products. * In April 2014, the
Kickstarter Kickstarter, PBC is an American Benefit corporation, public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York City, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative project ...
project ''Key_P1 MultiClet: Your Powerful Digital Guardian'', failed to raise sufficient funding. * Since June 2014, the MultiClet microprocessor has been reportedly under test in real
space Space is a three-dimensional continuum containing positions and directions. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions. Modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless ...
conditions onboard
Sputnix Sputnix (, also , "Satellite Innovative Space Systems") is a privatelyowned satellite construction company headquartered at the Skolkovo Innovation Center. It is one of Russia's first private space companies. It was founded in 2011 by ScanEx. ...
’s microsatellite TabletSat-Aurora. * In March 2014, Multiclet present first multicellular dynamically reconfigurable microprocessor in Inatronics 2014.


Financing

Since 2004, more than 300 million
roubles The ruble or rouble (; rus, рубль, p=rublʲ) is a currency unit. Currently, currencies named ''ruble'' in circulation include the Russian ruble (RUB, ₽) in Russia and the Belarusian ruble (BYN, Rbl) in Belarus. These currencies are su ...
have been provided for the project by the Danish venture fund Symbion Capital and the Bortnik Fund. In 2009, there was an unsuccessful request for co-financing by
Rusnano Rusnano Group () is a Russian state-established and funded company. The Rusnano Group's mission is to create competitive nanotechnology-based industry in Russia. Rusnano invests directly and through indirect funds into all major knowledge-based ...
. In 2010, it was reported that more than 1 billion roubles would be needed in total before any actual production could take place. In 2011, the ''MultiClet'' company, currently responsible for the development of the microprocessor was founded with a capital of 323 million roubles. In August 2014, a financial request for 80 million
US dollars The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it int ...
from the Russian-Chinese Investment Fund (RKIF) was made in order to develop a ''MultiClet'' based computer.


Technical concept

As opposed to the traditional
multi-core processor A multi-core processor (MCP) is a microprocessor on a single integrated circuit (IC) with two or more separate central processing units (CPUs), called ''cores'' to emphasize their multiplicity (for example, ''dual-core'' or ''quad-core''). Ea ...
architecture each individual cell in the microprocessor can communicate with each other, without the need to store intermediate results in
memory register A processor register is a quickly accessible location available to a computer's Processor (computing), processor. Registers usually consist of a small amount of fast Computer storage, storage, although some registers have specific hardware funct ...
s. This removes the concept of
assembly language In computing, assembly language (alternatively assembler language or symbolic machine code), often referred to simply as assembly and commonly abbreviated as ASM or asm, is any low-level programming language with a very strong correspondence bet ...
instructions with sequential dependence, in favor of realizing a
high level programming language A high-level programming language is a programming language with strong abstraction from the details of the computer. In contrast to low-level programming languages, it may use natural language ''elements'', be easier to use, or may automate (or ...
directly on the computer hardware. The smallest indivisible unit is a set of instructions described in the triadic language. Each triad can describe an operation between references to other triads, rather than references to the current contents in memory registers. The result of the sequence of triads is evaluated when selected, e.g. when an operation to write the result to a memory register is issued.


Potential benefits

The multicellular microprocessor architecture makes it easier to perform parallel execution because the need to access intermediate memory for each operation is eliminated, thus each cell can operate independently until the result is needed. The microprocessor can operate with reduced performance if one or more of the microprocessor cells become non-functioning. The dynamic reconfiguration of the microprocessor, in case of permanent failures makes it ideal for operation under harsh conditions such as in space applications. Realization of all operations within each statement, without memory involvement improves computing power by 4–5 times and reduces the microprocessor energy consumption by up to 10 times.


Criticism

In July 2012, a critical view was posted on a forum which discusses potential challenges related to scaling of the technology. The main obstacle would be the high level of communication required between the different cells of the multicellular architecture and its implementation using
CMOS Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS, pronounced "sea-moss ", , ) is a type of MOSFET, metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) semiconductor device fabrication, fabrication process that uses complementary an ...
semiconductor process technology below
180 nanometer The 180 nm process is a MOSFET (CMOS) semiconductor process technology that was commercialized around the 1998–2000 timeframe by leading semiconductor companies, starting with TSMC and Fujitsu, then followed by Sony, Toshiba, Intel, AMD, Texas ...
.


Variants

Available and suggested multicellular processor variants:


Models

Available multicellular processor models:


In design


References


External links

* http://www.multiclet.com {{List of Russian microprocessors Microprocessors Research and development in Russia