Ask HN: Energy efficient computing chip

[k_lander]

is it possible to have the cpu equivalent of non-volatile memory?

ie. a cpu that does not refresh and consumes no energy in its idle state until some data is available at its inputs?

[wmf]

In theory static CMOS behaves this way but there is still some power consumption due to leakage. Some microcontrollers have ultra-low-power sleep modes.