Just like people can lose focus when constantly interrupted at work, computer processors also slow down when they have to stop and switch tasks too often.
To solve this problem, researchers at Purdue University have created a new way for computer processors, or CPUs, to receive alerts without losing time and energy.
Their system, called xUI (extended interrupt), removes the need for an old method known as polling—and it’s already being recognized as a major breakthrough.
Polling is when a computer constantly checks for new tasks or data. It’s like refreshing your email inbox every second waiting for a message.
This uses up a lot of energy and wastes valuable computing power.
In large data centers and cloud systems, where CPUs process billions of events per second, that wasted effort adds up fast.
The Purdue team, led by Ph.D. student Berk Aydogmus and Assistant Professor Kazem Taram, presented their work at a major conference, where it won the 2025 Best Paper Award.
Their innovation is especially important for cloud computing and big tech companies that run massive server farms.
These systems rely on CPUs to react quickly to everything from network traffic to finishing tasks assigned to graphic processors.
Right now, most modern CPUs respond to alerts (or “interrupts”) by stopping everything they’re doing and clearing out all instructions they’ve been processing. This is like having to throw away your notes every time someone talks to you.
It takes time to get back to where you were. The new xUI system gets rid of that need to “flush” everything and instead sends fast, lightweight notifications. This allows CPUs to respond quickly without dropping their current progress.
Professor Taram explained it this way: instead of having one CPU constantly check for new work, the system waits for a fast interrupt that acts like a tap on the shoulder. This way, CPUs can stay focused on their main tasks and still handle incoming events efficiently.
The new system will help computers use less power and get more done—especially in data centers that support cloud services we all rely on, like streaming platforms, online shopping, and even medical records.
The Purdue researchers collaborated with experts from the University of California San Diego on the project. Together, they’ve developed a smarter, faster way to handle the nonstop flow of digital information—one that could shape how future processors work across the tech world.
