1st LD Writethru: Top science prize honors transparent computing
Xinhua, January 9, 2015 Adjust font size:
Research on the paradigm shift in computing won one of China's top science prizes at the annual National Science Awards on Friday.
A team, led by Zhang Yaoxue -- president of Central South University and a professor with Tsinghua University -- invented the concept of transparent computing, pervasive programming in which users are not "aware" of the software (like operating systems and applications), which can access and accomplish tasks on any type of device, such as personal computers or intelligent appliances.
Zhang's team developed an operating system named Meta OS, which allows users to use data stored in servers for computing in different terminals such as mobile phones, personal computers at home and computers in offices, without moving them around by email boxes or portable hard disks.
According to Zhang, Meta OS is compatible with different operating systems, which enables it to separate computing from storage, and software from hardware. "The separation allows mobile devices to be as light as possible," he said.
Transparent computing has already been used in medical services at the Xiangya Hospital under Central South University, allowing people to get test results via their mobile phones.
Zhang, who was born in Hunan Province in 1956, is also a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He has been a teacher at Tsinghua University since he received his Ph.D in computer networking from Japan' s Tohoku University.
The Chinese government has offer prizes to distinguished scientists and their achievements to boost innovation. Endit