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IBM’s taken a large step toward computer chips that use photons instead of electrons by manufacturing the first 90nm silicon-based optical processing modules. It did so using the CMOS nanophotonics technology we first saw back in 2010, creating tranceivers capable of 25Gbps transfer speeds. By multiplexing a large number of those streams to a single fibre, “terrabytes of data” per second could flow between distant computer systems,” according to IBM. The 90 nanometer light circuits should allow data-hungry servers or supercomputers to scale up rapidly in speed “for the next decade, and at the desired low cost,” according to the researchers. It’s now primed for commercial development, meaning we could see an end to bottlenecks in systems “a few centimeters or a few kilometers” apart from each other. Check the PR for the detailed technical skinny.

Continue reading IBM manufactures light-based ‘nanophotonic’ chips to let the terabytes flow

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In 1960, engineers set out to develop the technology that would convert our society into debt-crippled shopaholics. But before we all started wielding plastic, it was made out of cardboard—and now you can buy the original IBM prototype. More »

In their yearly list of most innovative companies in the world, the folks at analytical group Booz & Co. found with a survey of participants that Apple was the most innovative group – for the third year running. This year it appears that Apple made a substantial lead increase over either of its previous years in the lead, with a massive near-80-percent of respondents naming Apple as one of the most innovative companies in the world. This number is up from 70 percent of those questioned last year.

In second place is Google with 43 percent of respondents naming the company as one of their top three “most innovative” company choices – this “essentially unchanged” from last year’s report, so they say. Perhaps astoundingly, if you only read tech and gadget news, the third place spot in this list goes to 3M who, the study says, “may not make headlines often, but the company again took place, capturing the votes of just more than 15 percent of respondents.” Speaking specifically on Apple, the study speaks highly of the gap the company is making.

“This year, Apple didn’t just top the rankings (as it did the past two years); it increased its lead substantially. The company — which in August 2012 became the most valuable in history, measured by market capitalization — was named by almost 80 percent of respondents as one of the three most innovative companies in the world, up from 70 percent last year.” – Booz and Co.

The rest of the list you’ll find contains companies you’ll be quite familiar with, for the most part. After 3M is Samsung followed by GE, Microsoft, and Toyoya. In 8th place there’s a tie between Proctor & Gamble and IBM, while Amazon this year has kicked Facebook out of the top 10 ranking entirely.

This study also shows some information on Research & Development spending, showing Apple to have nearly doubled their spending on R&D over the past three years. Apple’s $2.4 billion in R&D is 2.2 percent of its sales and just over a third of what the national average is at 6.5 percent. Inside the overall Global Innovation 1000 list, Apple ranks 53rd for R&D spending while Google ranks 26th and Toyota ranks #1. Samsung ranks #6, if you’d like to know, while Microsoft edges them out in 5th place.

[via Booz & Co.]

Apple named Most Innovative Company of 2012 by Booz & Co is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

IBM has reported that they’re making great strides on developing a new technology that will continue to make chips smaller, while also making them continually faster at the same time. Using carbon nanotubes, IBM scientists have been able to build hybrid chips with more than 10,000 working transistors.

It’s said that the point in time when technology will reach a plateau as far as getting smaller and faster will come at some point, meaning that Moore’s Law won’t last forever. Even though Moore’s Law has lasted almost a half-century so far, it’s said to only be around until around 2020, give or take a few years.

If you’re not familiar with Moore’s Law, it’s basically an observation of sorts where the number of transistors that can fit onto an integrated circuit doubles roughly every two years. The law is named after Intel co-founder Gordon Moore and was coined by computer scientist and former Caltech professor Carver Mead.

IBM’s carbon nanotube discovery is huge, especially considering that chip makers have not yet found ways to improve chips beyond the next two or three generations. Not only will carbon nanotubes allow chip makers to build smaller transistors, but they’ll be able to increase the speed at which those transistors can be turned on and off. However, it’s not said when the new technology will be ready, but it most likely won’t be for a few more years at least, since it’s still in its early development stages.

[via New York Times]

Image via Flickr

IBM claims chip breakthrough using carbon nanotubes is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

IBM is no stranger to energy concerns, and now its founded the Smarter Energy Research Institute in partnership with Canada’s Hydro-Québec, the Netherlands’ Alliander, and the US’ DTE Energy to help build a better grid. The partnership will leverage Big Blue’s computing and analytic oomph to help the utility companies predict and detect anomalies within infrastructure, identify areas of the grid that need to be developed, integrate new energy sources and increase efficiency among other improvements. What’s this mean for you? For one, power outages should be less frequent and shorter lived when they do occur. Thanks to the distributed nature of the project, research will be spread throughout IBM’s worldwide network of research labs. If you’d like to hear more details straight from the folks involved, hit the jump for a video and the full press release.

Continue reading IBM announces Smarter Energy Research Institute, aims to improve energy grids (video)

IBM announces Smarter Energy Research Institute, aims to improve energy grids (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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