Mobile phones, MP3 players and other gadgets could be smaller, faster and cheaper in future thanks to new work by Scottish scientists.
Mobile phones, MP3 players and other gadgets could be smaller, faster and cheaper in future thanks to new work by Scottish scientists.
Researchers at Edinburgh University have developed a way of making the basic elements of modern technology more efficient using a new computerised design process.
Traditionally gadget design is a two-stage process. The first is the creation of a processor - the chip that does all the work in, for example, a mobile phone or digital camera. The second is a compiler - the component that translates the software for the gadget from ordinary language into "computer speak".
A team at Edinburgh University's School of Informatics has used artificial intelligence to design the processor and the compiler in tandem to get the best possible mix of hardware and software.
Researchers trialled millions of combinations of processors and compilers aimed at providing the optimum result for a specific function, followed by statistical analysis to identify the pairings which led to good performance and energy efficiency.
Designers will now be able to use the development as a tool to pinpoint which processor to use with which compiler to meet their requirements for new, improved products for the market. It could also be used to extend battery life and cut production costs.
The development was presented earlier this week at an international conference in America where lead researcher Dr Timothy Jones has been sparking "great interest" among key members of the technology industry.
Dr Jones said yesterday: "For consumers, this means faster, smaller devices, producing less heat and with improved battery life. Overall, this means cheaper products on the market quicker."
Dr Jones and his team spent around a month testing seven million different combinations of processors and compilers, plus another month creating the computerised design model.
Paul Holt, of ARC, said: "Consumers want to be able to access multimedia and the web at any time and anywhere and so long battery life is vital in delivering this."
