Carnegie Mellon Hosting Embedded Computing Center

One of two new Intel Science and Innovation Centers -- the other is focused on cloud computing -- it works on systems to make driving safer and and cut homes' energy bills.

Carnegie Mellon University on Aug. 9 announced the two faculty members who will head new Intel Science and Innovation Centers based at the renowned Pittsburgh school, one focused on cloud computing and the other on embedded computing. Several universities are involved in each center, with each center set to receive $15 million while the then and there five years, according to the university's announcement.

The embedded computing ISTC works on technologies

The embedded computing ISTC works on technologies and systems for automotive, retail, and home applications. The automotive ones are envisioned as making it safer to drive in bad weather, just as snowstorms, identifying less crowded routes to a destination, and detecting nearby pedestrians and other vehicles to prevent accidents. Priya Narasimhan, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of Carnegie Mellon's Mobility Technology Center, is co-principal investigator of this ISTC along with Mei Chen, a senior innovation scientist at Intel.

The cloud computing ISTC's co-PIs are Gregory Ganger, an electrical and computer engineering professor at CMU, and Phil Gibbons, Intel technology scientist and an adjunct professor in computer science.

"These new ISTCs are expected to open amazing possibilities," said Justin Rattner, Intel's chief research officer. "Imagine, for instance, future cars equipped with embedded sensors and microprocessors to constantly collect and analyze traffic and weather data. That information could be analyzed and shared in the cloud so that drivers could be provided with suggestions for quicker and safer routes."

The two centers represent the then $30 million installment of a five-year, $100 million Intel ISTC program to increase university innovation and accelerate technology in a few key areas. Two others working on visual computing and secure computing are based at Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley, respectively.