II-NEW: A Research and Education Infrastructure for Power- and Thermal-Aware Computing

Wayne State University, Detroit MI

Investigators

Abstract

This award provides funding for a new Computing Research Infrastructure (CRI) project focused on power- and thermal-aware computing at Wayne State University. PORTAL (the proposed POweR and Thermal Aware computing Laboratory) will support a broad range of research on software-controlled power and thermal optimization of both general-purpose and embedded systems, by providing: 1) a diverse set of hardware test beds, ranging from server-level processors to smart phones; 2) precision power and thermal measurement capabilities permitting the development and verification of accurate power and thermal models; 3) battery power-dissipation measurement capabilities for investigation of systems in a compact environment; and 4) performance evaluation data collection mechanisms used in both research and education settings. Power and heat management are critical concerns for sustainable computing. Progress in this area benefits society through reduction in energy usage and enablement of new portable electronic devices with reduced battery lifetime limitations. The project improves educational opportunities and work-force development at Wayne State University through development of new courses on power and thermal effects in computing, improving coverage of energy and power dissipation in existing courses within the core curriculum, and providing hands-on experience for experimentation by students. The investigators are committed to making use of the new facilities in their efforts to involve more female and under-represented minority students in computing systems research, and their outreach activities to K-12 students.