Intels Shows Bare CPU Running on Solar Power IDF 2011-processor was running Windows 7

IDF 2011: Intels Shows Bare CPU Running on Solar Power

During yesterday's opening keynote at the Intel Developer Forum, Intel CEO Paul Otellini showed off a prototype processor that was running without a heatsink and completely on a very small solar cell. The bare processor was running Windows 7 and on the desktop the company had a small animated GIF running that showed an image of a cat wearing headphones. For the demo Intel said that the prototype R&D processor was being powered by just a small solar panel with a UV light pointed right at it. Intel said the processor was called the 'Near Threshold Voltage Core' and to prove that the processor was running they slowly covered up the light and the crowd saw the GIF slow down and then stop running. Intel didn't saw what manufacturing process this CPU was made on or how many volts it needed, but it was a pretty cool demo to see a processor running windows with just solar power. You can see several more images of this demo by following the link at the bottom of this post and going to the forums.

Looking further into the future, Otellini predicted that platform power innovation will reach levels that are difficult to imagine today. Intel's researchers have created a chip that could allow a computer to power up on a solar cell the size of a postage stamp. Referred to as a "Near Threshold Voltage Core," this Intel architecture research chip pushes the limits of transistor technology to tune power use to extremely low levels.