A high-performance computing system is not created by accident, but by the careful design and implementation of interactions between Compilers, Hardware Architectures, and Operating Systems. The University of Kentucky's KAOS group works to create, demonstrate, and disseminate technologies that can improve performance or provide new capabilities by integrating different aspects of computer system design. This systems research is not limited to systems hardware and software, but also includes working with application developer collaborators to port, tune, and enhance their codes.
KAOS expands upon the concept of "Compiler-oriented Architecture" that Hank Dietz and his students developed from 1986 to 1999, while he was a faculty member in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University. KAOS began in September 1999 when Hank moved to the University of Kentucky to become a Professor of Electrical Engineering and the James F. Hardymon Chair in Networking. In 2002, Bill Dieter, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, joined Hank in running KAOS. KAOS also is the lead organization in the The Aggregate research consortium.
What have we done? Well, most of the "New Technologies" listed for The Aggregate were initially developed by KAOS (or by its predecessor, the PAPERS group).
In case you were wondering, the name KAOS is not only a Kentucky-flavored spelling of C.H.A.O.S., but also an obscure reference to the old "Get Smart" TV series in which KAOS was the organization fighting against CONTROL.
Originally, the secret KAOS laboratory was room 672 Anderson Hall... but now there are three.... All three labs are in Anderson Tower (which was commonly known as Anderson Hall before the Ralph G. Anderson building materialized in front of it). In fact, so are the offices of the primary KAOS faculty. The KAOS-relevant rooms are:
The only thing set in stone is our name.