News Archives

Nanotechnology, Reversible Computing, and the Fate of the Universe

November 17, 2006

  • Date: Friday, November 17th, 2006 
  • Time: 1 pm — 2:15 pm 
  • Place: ME 218

Sarah Murphy
University of Notre Dame

Abstract: There are several important problems that scientists require more computing power to address. These include things like climate modeling, earthquake mitigation, and various simulation of physics problems. Leading scientists estimate that including all the important science, using the desired level of granularity, and running the ensembles of simulations needed will require zettaflops of computing power. Even if all the power of the Hoover Dam were harnessed, end-of-the-roadmap CMOS and current design methodologies would not be able to provide this level of computing power.

This talk will introduce why novel technologies and design methodologies are needed; discuss a particular device, quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA); and dive into the controversies and possibilities of reversible computing.

Bio: Sarah Murphy is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Notre Dame working for Peter Kogge looking at how to match emerging nano-scale devices with appropriate computing paradigms in order to solve hard problems better.