Brian Larson, Chairman and founder of Multitude Corporation, invented DANCE/Multitude concurrent computation, Layered networks (to be licensed from Unisys), and the Four-Square geometry (to be licensed from Lockheed Martin). He is the system architect, visionary, and driving force. Brian Larson has relentlessly pursued ways to get speed-up with multiple processors since he and an early mentor diverted VHSIC money to R&D on functional programming in 1981.

After a stint in product engineering designing interface cards to embed a standard computer into a submarine, he returned to R&D in 1984 to investigate advanced computer architectures. Finding the best known means to move data between processors wanting, he created a new mathematical model for interconnection networks. Of the new topologies explored, the ill-named "Layered" networks were most promising. A four-processor prototype of a system using a Layered network called MIPS-by-4 was built, and Brian Larson turned his attention to ways to program parallel machines.

Again finding programming languages and models of computation lacking he created Samantha, a crude, flawed precursor to DANCE. After a year, parallel language research was cut, so he left Unisys for graduate school in 1988 as a pretext to continue his research. Fortified by mathematical logic and computer architecture classes at the University of Minnesota, Brian Larson invented DANCE/Multitude computation. To pay for the pro se patent application, Multitude Corporation was formed and a few thousand dollars raised from friends and family. The patent application was filed January 23, 1996.

During 1995 and 1996, Multitude Corporation and then Loral pursued the ASCI program until it became clear that only those currently shipping product could meet ASCI's delivery schedule. Shortly thereafter Brian was hired by now Lockheed Martin to help design what has come to be called the ReliaNET SCI switch. The ReliaNET SCI switch uses a topology similar to Layered networks, but substitutes the SCI protocol for the combining operations done by Layered networks. The ReliaNET SCI switch' topology differs from 2-planed Layered networks by using 3-by-3 switchpoints instead of 4-by-4 switchpoints by removing one of the "straight" links between switchpoints. This saves pins (wires) on both the die packages and connectors between boards. Although the abstract wiring topology of both Layered networks and the ReliaNET SCI switch scales nicely, the best-known implementation geometry, single-board-type packaging (invented by Brian Larson and rediscovered a decade later; pat. pend. by Lockheed Martin), becomes a rat's nest of wires for large networks.

To overcome these limitations Brian Larson invented a new geometry dubbed "Four-Square" that scales in an orderly way, using advanced multichip module technology made at Lockheed Martin's Moorestown facility for the Integrated Core Processor in Lockheed Martin's Joint Strike Fighter. Four-Square is useful for both Layered networks and the ReliaNET SCI switch among others. In December 1998, Multitude Corporation again pursued a funding opportunity with Lockheed Martin (and others), this time going after a DARPA BAA from their legendary Information Technology Office. Discouraged by the response from DARPA to the abstract, he got the compiler to draw execution lattices and continued to add features to the DANCE compiler and think of ways of building a proof-of-concept prototype out of pedestrian parts.

Jeffrey Wolff, Multitude Associate, received his B.S. in aviation computer science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1998. He is currently completing a M.S. in computer science at the University of Minnesota with emphasis in High-Performance Computing. His professional background includes software engineering and program management for voice communication systems for the new European en-route air traffic control centers, database management and development tracking the specifications of all FCC licensed broadcasting stations; Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence, Air Sovereignty Operation Center and Airborne Communication Node trade-off modeling and simulation studies to determine network performance and system load characteristics at Lockheed Martin and United Defense; development of a cryptographically secure communication protocol between proprietary simulators; and research at the Army High-Performance Computing Research Center to analyze and interface a simulation of the propagation of contaminants in urban environments with optimal evacuation strategies.

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