RADCAP

Abstract

An overview is presented of RADCAP, the operational associative array processor (AP) facility installed at Rome Air Development Center (RADC). Basically, this facility consists of a Goodyear Aerospace STARAN associative array (parallel) processor and various peripheral devices, all interfaced with a Honeywell Information Systems (HIS) 645 sequential computer, which runs under the Multics timeshared operating system. The RADCAP hardware and software are described only briefly here since they are detailed in companion papers presented at this conference. The latter part of this paper dwells on the objectives of the RADCAP facility and plans for its use.The STARAN associative parallel processor is a processor based on an associative or content addressable memory and a related ensemble of bit serial processing elements. STARAN is considered to be the first practical associative processor ever produced. This claim of practicality is based on the fact that the design concept for the associative memory of STARAN allows the use of the same high-volume, standard, large-scale integrated (LSI) circuit memory devices that are in widespread use by the computer industry. In fact, every electronic component used in the STARAN associative parallel processor is-available from your local components distributor. The significance of this fact is that now, for the first time, associative processors enjoy the same cost per bit of storage as does the conventional computer.