Intel’s dominance over the microprocessor industry is undisputed, there is no question about that. But to challenge Intel’s reign, five major chip makers – AMD, ARM, Imagination Technologies, MediaTek and Texas Instruments – have joined hands to form the HSA (Heterogeneous System Architecture) Foundation.
The HSA Foundation’s main aim is to boost chip performance by allowing the chip to use its various separate functional units as co-processors along with the main processing unit. The different components of a processor usually have a specific function and are not involved in the actual processing, which is what the HSA foundation is looking to change.
The task on hand is a pretty old concept and can be achieved using a programming language called OpenCL, but according to AMD, it’s quite a complex language which has always put off mainstream developers from actively using it. But with the realization of the HSA Foundation, the 5 involved chip makers are hoping to change that.
If the HSA Foundation succeeds in achieving what they’ve joined hands for, it will bring a noticeable improvement in the processing power of processor chips. Let’s hope they do succeed.