Artifact Details

Title

Connection Machine CM-1

Catalog Number

X1124.93

Type

Physical object

Description

The CM-1 is a massively parallel supercomputer. Parallel processing relies on making connections: coordinating multiple processors for a single task. CM-1 has a Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) overall architecture, where a single instruction operates on multiple data words simultaneously. In the full 65,535 processor version, the CM-1 had 16 1-bit processors per processor chip, for a total of 4,096 processor chips. The 65,536 simple single-bit processors interconnected in a 12-dimensional hypercube. Its applications included real-time stock market trading, artificial intelligence, fluid dynamics, and more.

This CM-1 is comprised of eight cubical sub-frames most of which contain large PCBs mounted vertically. All but one of the sub-frames are enclosed in locked covers. One sub-frame cover is unlocked and rolled back to expose the PCBs.

Date

1985

Manufacturer

Thinking Machines Corporation

Place Manufactured

U.S.

Identifying Numbers

Model number CM-1

Dimensions

overall: 62 in x 58 in x 57 in

Category

Digital computer/supercomputer

Subject

CM-1; Hillis, Danny; Minsky, Marvin; Artificial intelligence (AI); Thinking Machines Corporation

Credit

Gift of David Yakimischak

Lot Number

X1124.93