Fifth Generation of Computers

The Fifth Generation of Computers

By

Khalid Samir

CSC 2304 - Computer Architecture

April 24, 2011

Spring 2011

Table of Contents

CSC 2304 - Computer Architecture 1

Introduction: 2

An overview of old generations: 2

First generation: 3

Second generation: 4

Third generation: 5

The general objectives of fifth generation of computers: 6

An overview of the fifth generation of computers: 7

The Stages of Fifth Generation Computer Research and Development: 9

Fifth generation of computers: Artificial intelligence 9

Fifth generation of computers: Organization and Architecture: 11

Technical Background: 11

VLSI Technology: 12

Structured VLSI Design: 13

Challenges of VLSI 14

Parallel Processing (CC-NUMA): 14

Motivation: 15

Organization: 16

CC-NUMA Advantages and Disadvantages: 16

Research and development targets: 17

The fifth generation of computers architecture: 18

External Interface: 19

Software System: 19

Hardware: 20

The problem solving and inference system: 21

The Knowledge base systems: 23

Basic configuration of the fifth generation computers: 25

The intelligent interface system: 26

Basic configuration of the FGCS: 26

The challenges of the fifth generation of computers: 27

Conclusion: 27

Introduction:

The Fifth Generation computers are defined as the computers which will be used predominantly in 1990s. Supercomputers will be used in scientific and engineering calculations and simulations. Database machines and present mainframe computers will be networked in order to organize worldwide information systems. Many microcomputers will be used as system elements in various social systems. However, many computer industries are already earnestly developing these computers for future use. Non-numeric data processing, including symbol processing and applied artificial intelligence will play more important roles than at present in the future information processing field. Non-numeric data such as sentences, speeches, graphs, and images will be used in tremendous volume compared to numerical data. Computers are expected to deal with nonnumeric data mainly in future applications. However, present computers have much less capability in non-numeric data processing than in numeric data processing.

An overview of old generations:

The Fifth Generation Computer Systems project (FGCS) was an initiative by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry, begun in 1982, to create a "fifth generation computer" which was supposed to perform much calculation using Parallel Processing (CC-NUMA). It was to be the end result of a massive government/industry research project in Japan during the 1980s. It aimed to create an "epoch-making computer" with supercomputer-like performance and to provide a platform for future developments in artificial intelligence. The term fifth generation was intended to convey the system as being a leap beyond existing machines. Computers using vacuum tubes were called the first generation; transistors and diodes, the second; integrated circuits, the third; and those using microprocessors, the fourth. Whereas previous computer generations had focused on increasing the number of logic elements in a single CPU, the fifth generation, it was widely believed at the time, would instead turn to massive numbers of CPUs for added performance. The project was to create the computer over a ten year period, after which it was considered ended and investment in a new, Sixth Generation project, began. Opinions about its outcome are divided: Either it was a failure, or it was ahead of its time.

In the late 1960s and early '70s, there was much talk about "generations" of computer:

First generation: Vacuum tubes. Mid-1940s. IBM pioneered the arrangement of vacuum tubes in pluggable modules. The IBM 650 was a first-generation computer.

IBM 650 front panel, showing bi-quinary indicators IBM 650 front panel, rear view

Vacuum tube circuit module of type used in the 650

Second generation: Transistors. 1956. The era of miniaturization begins. Transistors are much smaller than vacuum tubes, draw less power, and generate less heat. Discrete transistors are soldered to circuit boards, with interconnections accomplished by stencil-screened conductive patterns on the reverse side. The IBM 7090 was a second-generation computer.

IBM 7090 console Transistor

Third generation: Integrated circuits (silicon chips containing multiple transistors). 1964. A pioneering example is the ACPX module used in the IBM 360/91, which, by stacking layers of silicon over a ceramic substrate, accommodated over 20 transistors per chip; the chips could be packed together onto a circuit board to achieve unheard-of logic densities. The IBM 360/91 was a hybrid second- and third-generation computer.

Integrated