Microsoft Research in partnership with USCD are working on a USB device, called the "Somniloquy" (which by definition means to "Talk in one's sleep") which allows your computer to carry on performing network processes while it is asleep or in a low power state. The Somniloquy allows a computer to process network traffic, even if the computers CPU, hard disk, display and I/O buses are powered down, without losing network connectivity. As described in the research paper, the interface could manage many network-related tasks such as maintaining a remote desktop connection, receiving instant messages, torrenting and managing a VOIP account, while the computer itself is asleep.
The USB network adapter (as described in this research paper) is made up of a Gumstix chipset with a 200 MHz XScale processor, 64 MB of RAM and a 2 GB SD memory card running Linux. If the adapter detects that the connected machine has entered sleep mode, it copies over the networking information and begins carrying out communications on its behalf.
The Microsoft and USCD researchers also showed that the adapter can perform more complex tasks - like the mentioned instant messaging application. The example in the research paper shows that the researchers created a modified instant messaging client that can respond to network messages and wake the host when a message is received. The researchers also developed a compact torrent client application that continues to download a file while the host is asleep.
The aim of the USB device would be to reduce the amount of energy that is "wasted" by computers that are left on for trivial tasks for large amounts of time. The device has the ability to perform the low-power intensive tasks on its own, and wake the computer to perform ones that require more processing power. There is also a wireless version available that requires two wireless NICs to function.
The system is only in the prototype phase and still has a lot of testing and further research required before it would be commercially available.
Image credit: Microsoft Research Paper
Makes for a great botnet too.
"...and a 2 GB SD memory card running linux." I believe I saw Microsoft® logo somewhere in the corner...
The way the SD card hangs out of the main PCB shows how "prototypish" the product is! If its going to be released in the next decade anyway, might as well support upcoming wireless technologies (WiFi N, maybe?)
or with remote desktop, how would you 'use' the pc remotely
ill definately have to read up on this but it seems like a really cool technology, cause i have 2 pc's on 24/7, and mine stays on 24/7 just so i can remote in, or leave IM/downloads goin
or with remote desktop, how would you 'use' the pc remotely
ill definately have to read up on this but it seems like a really cool technology, cause i have 2 pc's on 24/7, and mine stays on 24/7 just so i can remote in, or leave IM/downloads goin
The way I read it was that it would wake the computer when an RDP request comes in similar to how WOL functions (which may or may not be viable over the Internet for some people).
Yo dawg, I heard you like computers so we put a computer in yo computer so you can compute while you compute.
looks like those paranoid ppl who press standby on their modems were onto somethin
Nah. That was just a general comment. Can't say I'm too worried for my own machines.
Use a more power-efficient machine your overnight downloads. According to my UPS software, my ASUS EEE-Box B202 draws 27 watts--including my modem, router and switch.
It's not a terribly fast machine, but downloads aren't exactly CPU-intensive either.
Maybe so, but you only get the power savings benefit when the computer is off. My ASUS is still a fully functional machine. I certainly could see some people using it as their only one.
Download data, at 1.8gb wake up pc and write it away to the HDD, then put the PC back to sleep and go on downloading etc etc.
But is this even possible ?
What I see here, for example if I download ISO, uTorrent allocates the entire space needed before even the download starts.
Edit: They already thought about that
"The flash storage is used as a
temporary buffer to store data before the data is transferred
in a larger chunk to the PC. A larger flash on the
secondary processor allows the PC to sleep longer (Section
3.2"
Last edited by kInG aLeXo on 24 Aug 2009 - 14:10
lol Microsoft creating something that is running linux!
That does create the question, why don't they run Windows 7 on the thing, I mean Windows 7 is the amazing new OS that will run on anything?
That does create the question, why don't they run Windows 7 on the thing, I mean Windows 7 is the amazing new OS that will run on anything?
MS figured they might as well put on OS on it that doesn't do much of anything, let alone real work. ;-)
Waste of time stop gap when proper power scaling is the final solution. What next? An even smaller processor to wake and sleep my mini network PC that wakes and sleeps my main PC?
Plus, it can't run Visual Basic, so most script kiddies will be all out of luck.
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