Microsoft and Intel research parallel computing

Intel and Microsoft have committed $20 million for the next five years to create research centers focused on parallel computing.

The companies will work with University of California and Berkeley University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The two schools will contribute $15 million to the research centers.

Parallel computing allows division of tasks over multiple microprocessors instead of using only one processor to perform a task at a time.

Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) have already started making chips that have multiple cores that are precursor to parallel computing.Parallel computing will lead to major advances in robotics, supercomputers, desktops and laptop computers.

The Universal Parallel Computing Research Centers at the two universities will include more than 100 faculty’s, graduate students, researchers and postdoctoral researchers.