Novel Raytheon Computer to Play Key Role in Finding Tunnels and Land Mines

Novel Raytheon Computer to Play Key Role in Finding Tunnels and Land Mines
April 27, 2009

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., April 27, 2009 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's first computer to switch its form of architecture depending on the application will process data in a sensor Raytheon Company is building to detect and locate buried land mines and tunnels.

According to Nick Uros, vice president for Raytheon's Advanced Concepts and Technology group, the Morphable Networked Micro-architecture device will perform superbly in the role because of massive computing resources that can be used simultaneously to process data rapidly. Other advantages are a capacity for a large volume of data and efficient use of energy.

"Our MONARCH chip offers superior processing performance," Uros said. "It will ingest a vast amount of data from our sensor and process it with outstanding energy efficiency."

Many processors have greater computing power but use too much energy or can't accommodate enough data for this purpose, he said. Consequently, a condition known as input-output data starvation becomes a problem.

"That won't happen with MONARCH because of its balanced architecture," Uros said.

Raytheon will use the MONARCH-equipped sensor on the Seismic and Acoustic Vibration Imaging program, administered by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

The company is developing a sensor that will employ laser radar to find hidden targets by measuring ground-surface vibration. Algorithms (electronic instructions for calculation and processing) situated on the MONARCH chip and requiring substantial processing throughput will interpret the resulting data.

Raytheon Company , with 2008 sales of $23.2 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 87 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.

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