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IMPORTANCE OF VECTOR PROCESSING
Authors: Naveen Malik, Pankaj Sharma, Naeem Akhtar, Rahul, Hardeep Rohilla
Number of views: 517
A vector processor, or array processor, is a central processing unit (CPU) that implements an
instruction set containing instructions that operate on one-dimensional arrays of data called vectors.
This is in contrast to a scalar processor, whose instructions operate on single data items. Vector
processors can greatly improve performance on certain workloads, notably numerical simulation
and similar tasks. Vector machines appeared in the early 1970s and dominated supercomputer
design through the 1970s into the 90s, notably the various Cray platforms. The rapid rise in the
price-to-performance ratio of conventional microprocessor designs led to the vector
supercomputer's demise in the later 1990s.
Today, most commodity CPUs implement architectures that feature instructions for a form vector
processing on multiple (vectorized) data sets, typically known as SIMD (Single Instruction,
Multiple Data). Common examples include VIS, MMX, SSE, AltiVec and AVX. Vector
processing techniques are also found in video game console hardware and graphics accelerators. In
2000, IBM, Toshiba and Sony collaborated to create the Cell processor, consisting of one scalar
processor and eight vector processors, which found use in the Sony PlayStation 3 among other
applications.
Other CPU designs may include some multiple instructions for vector processing on multiple
(vectorised) data sets, typically known as MIMD (Multiple Instruction, Multiple Data) and realized
with VLIW. Such designs are usually dedicated to a particular application and not commonly
marketed for general purpose computing. In the Fujitsu FR-V VLIW/vector processor both
technologies are combined.