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• Israeli researchers have developed PyPIM, a software that allows computers to process directly in memory, bypassing the CPU.
• PyPIM uses Python programming language and digital processing-in-memory (PIM) technology, offering faster processing with minimal code changes.
• This innovation is a significant step forward in high-performance computing, beneficial for sectors like aerospace and defense.
• The development of PyPIM, along with other advancements, points to a future of faster, more efficient, and powerful computing.

In a significant breakthrough, Israeli researchers have developed a software package that enables computers to perform processing directly in memory, bypassing the central processing unit (CPU). This innovation, announced by the Israel Institute of Technology, addresses the time- and energy-intensive data transfers between memory and the CPU, which have become a bottleneck in modern computing.

The researchers have developed a platform called PyPIM, which combines Python programming language with digital processing-in-memory (PIM) technology. PyPIM uses new instructions that enable operations to be performed directly in memory.

PyPIM: A New Approach to Computing

This platform allows developers to write software for PIM computers using familiar programming languages like Python. The researchers also created a simulation tool to help developers estimate performance improvements. The study demonstrated that using PyPIM for various mathematical and algorithmic tasks resulted in significantly faster processing with minimal code changes.

This development aims to solve the memory wall problem, where increasing processor speeds and memory storage capacity outpace data transfer speeds. Traditional computer programs rely on separate hardware for memory operations and processing, with data being transferred from memory to the CPU for computation.

Implications for High-Performance Computing

This development is a significant step forward in the field of computing, particularly in the context of the growing demand for high-performance computing in various sectors, including aerospace and defense. High-performance computing has been benefiting signal- and data processing in these sectors for quite some time. For instance, SGI engineers have co-developed a specific accelerator for a variety of mil-aero applications and have deployed field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based systems over several years.

The Future of Computing

In the broader context, this development is part of a larger trend towards more efficient and powerful computing technologies. For instance, a team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has developed a brain-inspired computing platform with the potential to make AI significantly faster, more efficient, and accessible to a wider population.

This platform utilizes a molecular film capable of storing and processing data in an astounding 16,500 conductance states, dwarfing the limitations of traditional digital computers restricted to just two states. Similarly, Cerebras Systems has developed a giant computer chip called a Wafer Scale Engine, which promises to revolutionize AI model processing. The company claims that its inference costs are one-third of those on Microsoft 's Azure cloud computing platform, while using one-sixth the power.