Connection Machine CM-2
A cube-shaped supercomputer with up to 65,536 simple processors, the successor to the CM-1.
Danny Hillis and Sheryl Handler founded Thinking Machines in 1983. Hillis's doctoral work at MIT on alternatives to the traditional computer design led to the Connection Machine.
The CM-2, successor to the CM-1, took the form of a cube 1.5 meters on a side, divided into eight smaller cubes. A full machine had up to 65,536 processors, each handling one bit at a time. Each chip held a router, 16 processors and 16 memory chips.
Why it matters
The CM-1 aimed at artificial intelligence and symbolic work. Later versions found more success in scientific computing. Its black cube with red lights became one of the most recognizable computers ever built.
Key facts
- Thinking Machines founded in 1983.
- Up to 65,536 one-bit processors.
- Cube 1.5 meters on a side.
- Each chip held a router, 16 processors and 16 memory chips.
- Based on Danny Hillis's MIT doctoral research.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Connection Machine", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connection_Machine, accessed October 14, 2026.
- Mimms Museum of Technology and Art, "Exhibits", mimmsmuseum.org/exhibits/, accessed October 14, 2026.