Hey, that rhymes.

IBM has exciting news on the BBC. They predict future supercomputers will focus on maximum efficiency..

The BBC also wants you to know they ‘will fit in a sugar cube’ but, even though I drink tea, here is the quote that really grabbed my attention:

“In the past, the Top 500 list (of fastest supercomputers worldwide) was the important one; computers were listed according to their performance.

“In the future, the ‘Green 500’ will be the important list, where computers are listed according to their efficiency.”

The need for efficiency is clear. The lower cost of output has brought into focus the cost of input. Can the same or better output be generated with same or less input?

The challenge is related to problems of thermal dissipation — removing heat while using higher processor density. IBM is talking about ways to use miniaturized water channels to flow around the shrinking processors because a volume of water can remove far more heat than air.

A country concerned about national security would see the huge importance of this innovation path, especially for inefficient industries like transportation. Progress comes from smaller, more powerful engines that run more efficiently (less input needed for same output) and that generate less waste. More with less is success.