Julio Lumbreras Martin

SORU: A Reconfigurable Vector Unit for Adaptable Embedded Systems

In this article we describe SORU, a reconfigurable instruction set processor architecture (RISP) specially designed for run-time self-adaptation in environments with tight resource and power restrictions. It allows to accelerate computationally intensive multimedia processing on portable/embedded devices while maintaining a low energy consumption. The experimental results show a mean speedup of 4 with half the energy consumption. The main datapath can be left in a hibernate state during more than 75% of the execution time in our experiments, what leads also to a significant reduction of energy consumption in the I-cache and the main datapath, including the register file.

The human side of social technology for climate change mitigation and human development: the case of 'efficient stoves' in Brazil

Carbon management has gradually gained attention within the overall environmental management and corporate social responsibility agendas. The clean development mechanism, from Kyoto Protocol, was envisioned as connecting carbon market and sustainable development objectives in developing countries. Previous research has shown that this potential is rarely being achieved. The paper explores how the incorporation of the human side into carbon management reinforces its contribution to generate human development in local communities and to improve the company’s image. A case study of a Brazilian company is presented, with the results of the application of an analytical model that incorporates the human side and human development. The selected project is an ‘efficient stoves’ programme. ‘Efficient stoves’ are recognised in Brazil as social technologies. Results suggest that the fact that social technologies value the human side of the technology plays a key role when it comes to analysing the co-benefits of the project implementation.