Vector processor

A vector processor, also referred to as an array processor or vector processing unit (VPU), is a CPU or an extension to its that is capable of performing simultaneous computations on elements of an  or table of data in a set number of dimensions from a single instruction.

History
Common uses for array processors in early supercomputers included analysis of and rotation of 3D objects, as well as data retrieval, in which elements of a database are scanned simultaneously. The "Velocity Engine" was introduced by Apple Computer in 1999 as the "first supercomputer on a chip" in the Power Mac G4. Vector and array processing capabilities have since been integrated into modern graphics processing units (GPUs).