diff --git a/check_isa.cpp b/check_isa.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3f8b487d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/check_isa.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+/*
+  Copyright (c) 2013, Intel Corporation
+  All rights reserved.
+
+  Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+  modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
+  met:
+
+    * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+      notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+
+    * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+      notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+      documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+
+    * Neither the name of Intel Corporation nor the names of its
+      contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+      this software without specific prior written permission.
+
+
+   THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS
+   IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
+   TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
+   PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER
+   OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL,
+   EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
+   PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR
+   PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF
+   LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING
+   NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
+   SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+*/
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//                                                                           //
+// This file is a standalone program, which detects the best supported ISA.  //
+//                                                                           //
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+#if defined(_WIN32) || defined(_WIN64)
+#define ISPC_IS_WINDOWS
+#include <intrin.h>
+#endif
+
+#if !defined (__arm__)
+#if !defined(ISPC_IS_WINDOWS)
+static void __cpuid(int info[4], int infoType) {
+    __asm__ __volatile__ ("cpuid"
+                          : "=a" (info[0]), "=b" (info[1]), "=c" (info[2]), "=d" (info[3])
+                          : "0" (infoType));
+}
+
+/* Save %ebx in case it's the PIC register */
+static void __cpuidex(int info[4], int level, int count) {
+  __asm__ __volatile__ ("xchg{l}\t{%%}ebx, %1\n\t"
+                        "cpuid\n\t"
+                        "xchg{l}\t{%%}ebx, %1\n\t"
+                        : "=a" (info[0]), "=r" (info[1]), "=c" (info[2]), "=d" (info[3])
+                        : "0" (level), "2" (count));
+}
+#endif // !ISPC_IS_WINDOWS
+
+static bool __os_has_avx_support() {
+#if defined(ISPC_IS_WINDOWS)
+    // Check if the OS will save the YMM registers
+    unsigned long long xcrFeatureMask = _xgetbv(_XCR_XFEATURE_ENABLED_MASK);
+    return (xcrFeatureMask & 6) == 6;
+#else // defined(ISPC_IS_WINDOWS)
+    // Check xgetbv; this uses a .byte sequence instead of the instruction
+    // directly because older assemblers do not include support for xgetbv and
+    // there is no easy way to conditionally compile based on the assembler used.
+    int rEAX, rEDX;
+    __asm__ __volatile__ (".byte 0x0f, 0x01, 0xd0" : "=a" (rEAX), "=d" (rEDX) : "c" (0));
+    return (rEAX & 6) == 6;
+#endif // !defined(ISPC_IS_WINDOWS)
+}
+#endif // !__arm__
+
+
+static const char *
+lGetSystemISA() {
+#ifdef __arm__
+    return "ARM NEON";
+#else
+    int info[4];
+    __cpuid(info, 1);
+
+    if ((info[2] & (1 << 28)) != 0 &&
+         __os_has_avx_support()) {  // AVX
+        // AVX1 for sure....
+        // Ivy Bridge?
+        if ((info[2] & (1 << 29)) != 0 &&  // F16C
+            (info[2] & (1 << 30)) != 0) {  // RDRAND
+            // So far, so good.  AVX2?
+            // Call cpuid with eax=7, ecx=0
+            int info2[4];
+            __cpuidex(info2, 7, 0);
+            if ((info2[1] & (1 << 5)) != 0) {
+                return "AVX2 (codename Haswell)";
+            }
+            else {
+                return "AVX1.1 (codename Ivy Bridge)";
+            }
+        }
+        // Regular AVX
+        return "AVX (codename Sandy Bridge)";
+    }
+    else if ((info[2] & (1 << 19)) != 0) {
+        return "SSE4";
+    }
+    else if ((info[3] & (1 << 26)) != 0) {
+        return "SSE2";
+    }
+    else {
+        return "Error";
+    }
+#endif
+}
+
+int main () {
+    const char* isa = lGetSystemISA();
+    printf("ISA: %s\n", isa);
+
+    return 0;
+}