Transputers -- Overview

Informatics main thrust in the technology area was the transputer.

Early in 1987, SERC and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) launched a coordinated programme on the Engineering Applications of Transputers. The INMOS transputer was the first effective microprocessor on the market designed to work in a parallel processing environment. The primary aim of the Initiative was to capitalise on UK strength in parallel processing research by the transfer of this expertise into UK industry. A Working Party of the Computing Facilities Committee (CFC) made a number of recommendations in October 1986 which form the basis of the programme. A small coordination team at RAL spent 1987 getting the Initiative started.

The main components of the Programme were:

• Loan Pool: a significant hardware and software Loan Pool offering 6 months Pump Priming loans to the UK Academic Community;
• National Centre: to provide a focus for the activity
• Regional Support Centres: three Regional Support Centres to provide support, training and access to transputer-based facilities, particularly for the benefit of UK Industry;
• Coordination Team: based at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, responsible for the day to day running and coordination of the Programme;
• Software: earmarked funds for ensuring specific key software developments were carried out, to ensure that transputer systems could be exploited in real applications areas

See also:

• ECN 02
• ECN 03
• ECN 05
• ECN 07
• 1985 Annual Report
• transputer.net