Programming multicore for low cost, real time and energy efficient systems

Alan Gatherer Texas Instruments

Multicore systems often focus on performance as their main goal. The idea is that multicore exists because a single core simply cannot do the job. This is called the “power wall”. But multicore has been used in embedded systems for years and the focus in such systems is often on real time performance, high reliability, low cost and energy efficiency. Many of the recently proposed programming models for multicore do not work well in such embedded systems. In this talk we discuss programming models for multicore embedded systems, specifically those that solve signal processing problems.

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Biography of Alan Gatherer:
Alan Gatherer is the CTO for the High Performance Multicore Processor Businesses at Texas Instruments.  He is responsible for the strategy behind digital baseband modem development for 3G and 4G wireless infrastructure as well as high performance medical equipment.  Alan joined TI in 1993 and has worked on various digital modem technologies including cable modem, ADSL and 3G handset and basestation modems.  He led the development of high performance, multicore DSP at TI. He was elected to Senior Member of Technical Staff in 1996, Distinguished Member of Technical Staff in 2000 and Fellow in 2008.  Alan also served as the manager of the wireless cellular communications group in R&D.  Alan has authored multiple journal and conference papers and is regularly asked to give keynote and plenary talks at communication equipment conferences. In addition, he holds 60 awarded patents and is author of the book “The Application of Programmable DSPs in Mobile Communications.”  Alan holds a bachelor of engineering in the area of microprocessor engineering from Strathclyde University in Scotland.  He also attended Stanford University in California where he received a master’s in electrical engineering in 1989 and his doctorate in electrical engineering in 1993.

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Wednesday, October 14, 2009
4:00 p.m. - McMurtry Auditorium, Duncan Hall

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