1. An apparatus for processing multidimensional, digital serial-by-bit data characterized by an ordered array of parallel data streams, comprising an ordered array of interconnected parallel processing elements corresponding to all or part of the data streams, and a control unit connected to said processing elements for causing said processing elements to process the data streams in response to a single set of instructions, each of said processing elements comprising a subunit A including means for arithmetic, shifting and memory operations, a subunit B including means for storing data, performing logical operations and sliding the stored data to a similar subunit in a neighboring processing element, a subunit C including means for storing, inputting and outputting data, a subunit D including additional memory means, and a bidirectional bus, all of said subunits being connected to said bidirectional bus for providing communication between said subunits.