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The Next Big Thing
Posts about next generation technologies and their effect on business.

A new type of power grid from "plug" computers

Charlie Bess| June 9, 2009 - last edited October 19, 2010
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I'd like to take consumerization of computing a bit further than I did in the previous post on consumer devices, There are now very low end computers like the SheevaPlug ($99) and the Pogoplug (also $99) coming into the low end of the market. These devices are almost power plugs with a USB port, running Linux.

 

There are examples of them doing useful tasks like providing network attached storage and monitoring appliances... These devices are based on ARM processors like those used in SmartPhones, and contain CPUs that cost somewhere in the $10 range. If they were to drop (because of high volume efficiencies) down to a dollar, there would be application for them everywhere in the home. An example would be a smart light switch or a wide variety of sustainability applications.

 

If I have a few dozen of these around my home, they could be programmed to use their extra cycles to create a computing grid for the home that would have as much (if not more) capacity for anyone's needs.

 

For the work environment, you could take that same kind of computing grid and add one more device that can drive a user-interface display. It would then make up a very easy to support thin-client workplace computing model. This would be different than what we're used to today, but more efficient.

 

Since these devices should make our energy usage more efficient (by monitoring and controlling our light, cooling...), we essentially get the desktop environment for free (further reducing the power consumption).

Labels: Applications| Edge computing | Green IT| Vision
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About the Author
  • Steve Simske is an HP Fellow and Director in the Printing and Content Delivery Lab in Hewlett-Packard Labs, and is the Director and Chief Technologist for the HP Labs Security Printing and Imaging program.
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