Annotated PIM Bibliography

TL;DR

This annotated bibliography traces the evolution of Processing in Memory (PIM) from early cellular/logical memory concepts in the 1960s and 1970s to modern near-memory and DRAM-based PIM implementations. It categorizes literature into surveys, design studies, prototype systems, commercial and near-commercial platforms, and neuromorphic PIM efforts, while also maintaining a change log for future updates. The compilation highlights a persistent theme: embedding computation within or beside memory to accelerate data-intensive tasks, evolving from simple in-memory comparisons to full CIM architectures, thread migration, and memory-centric automata. By organizing historical and contemporary work across timelines and maturity levels, the paper provides a structured reference for researchers, practitioners, and historians to understand PIM’s trajectory and current practical implications.

Abstract

Processing in Memory (PIM) and similar terms such as Compute In Memory (CIM), Logic in Memory (LIM), In Memory Computing (IMC), and Near Memory Computing (NMC) have gained attention recently as a potentially ``revolutionary new'' technique. The truth, however, is that many examples of the technology go back over 60 years. This document attempts to provide an annotated bibliography of PIM technology that attempts to cover the whole time-frame, and is organized to augment a forth-coming article.