The First Microprocessor: Intel 4004

The First Microprocessor: Intel 4004

Introduction

The microprocessor, also known as the Central Processing Unit (CPU, its acronym in English), is the brain of all computers and many household and electronic devices. Multiple microprocessors working together are the "heart" of data centers, supercomputers, communication products and other digital devices. The first microprocessor was the Intel 4004 (see picture), released in 1971. The 4004 was not very powerful and was mainly used to perform simple mathematical operations in a calculator called "Busicom".

Just as the microwave or phone, devices with microprocessors have become so integrated into our daily lives, we can not imagine our lives without them. Sometimes it's hard to believe that just 60 years ago, computers were rare and were not available to the general public. It was not until the 80s that computers came into our homes and - thanks to the microprocessor - really made an impact on people's lives.

Today, modern microprocessors can perform extremely sophisticated operations in areas such as meteorology, aviation, nuclear physics and engineering, as well as take up much less space and provide superior performance (Rabaey, Chandrakasan, & Nikolic, 2002). Over the past 40 years, microprocessors have become faster and more powerful, but smaller and more affordable. The fabrication of a CPU is a highly complex and demanding process that involves hundreds of steps in "clean rooms". The clean room or manufacturing plants, air contains 1,000 times cleaner than the operating room of a hospital. The construction of a manufacturing plant costs about $ 5 billion.

Discussion

Intel 4004

In 1965, the co-founder of Intel, Gordon Moore, had a vision of the future. His prediction, popularly known as Moore's Law states that the number of transistors on a chip doubles every two years. This observation about silicon integration, transformed into reality by Intel, has fueled the global technological revolution.

Technologies based on Intel silicon, supported the development and worldwide adoption of our platforms and architectures as the industry standard, Intel converting the largest provider of silicon in the world. Experience with silicon and investments at Intel's R & D support these unique advances made by Intel since the creation of its first microprocessor in 1971, who allowed give us continuity to Moore's Law in the future and offer more exciting features on Intel technologies.

On November 15, 1971 Intel announced day in a magazine of the United States, a product that would change the world: the 4004, the first commercial microprocessor history. Now, 40 years later, the company celebrates the anniversary of a small chip that has transformed the way we treat the information. The processor was clocked at 720 KHz surprising and 4 bits, with 2300 transistors and was developed by Ted Hoff, an employee of the company. At the time, Hoff and his team believed they were doing something that could transform the market forever. At the time, Intel was a small and new company - had only three years of existence.

Later became one of the most important in the world in a growing market (Stallings, ...