Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
FlashMob I Supercomputer Takes On Linpack Update
Update (04-Apr-2004): A "flash mob" is a group of people who are called together for some particular purpose at a particular place. University of San Francisco students attempted to create the first flash mob supercomputer by getting 1,000 people to bring their laptops to the Koret Health and Recreation Center on Saturday, April 3rd.
(FlashMob I Supercomputer Team)
Utilizing the best efforts of over 600 volunteers, the students were able to create a supercomputer with 180 gigaflops (billion floating-point operations per second). Unfortunately, that was not quite enough to break into the ranks of the world's top 500 supercomputers; a capacity of about 500 gigaflops would have been needed.
Unlike traditional supercomputers, which are enormously expensive and usually require special buildings to house them, the FlashMob I is a distributed memory machine that costs only time and energy on the part of the participants. Each participant will be given a CD with specially written FlashMob I software and cables to connect their machines. The goal is to perform the challenging Linpack benchmark computation standard at a rate exceeding 403 billion flops (floating point operations) per second, thus securing their place in the 500 fastest computers ever made.
FlashMob I is a modified Linux kernel containing original software that allows individual PCs to join a network and operate as a single supercomputer. Standard supercomputer libraries such as MPI have been specially tuned for the unusual nature of a FlashMob and original code has been written to facilitate bootstrapping PCs, real-time reporting, on the fly network and node diagnostics, and ad-hoc performance optimization.
The software has been made available online; this enables other groups to gather to solve computationally challenging problems.
"We are attempting to popularise supercomputing," says John Witchel, the USF graduate student running the project. "Ordinary individuals, people with good ideas, will now be empowered to put a flash mob together to solve a specific problem."
Science fiction fans may recall the effort needed to build the Chirpsithra supercomputer from Larry Niven's very entertaining short story The Schumann Computer, taken from his 1984 collection Niven's Laws.
Thanks to Flash mob to attempt supercomputing feat. To find out more - and even sign up - visit the FlashMobComputing.org website or check the FlashMob Supercomputing FAQ.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 4/5/2004)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Computer ")
Is Agentic AI The Wrong Kind Of Smartness?
'It’s smart enough to go wrong in very complicated ways, but not smart enough to help us find out what’s wrong.' - Isaac Asimov, 1975.
Jetson Orin Nano Super 70 Just $249
'Rayno folded up the microterm and tucked it back inside his jumper.' - Bruce Bethke, 1983.
Automatic Bot Traffic Is 38 Percent Of HTTP Requests
'there were so many worms and counterworms loose in the data-net...' - John Brunner, 1975
Neuroplatform Human Brain Organoid Bioprocessor Uses Less Electricity
'Cultured brains on a slab.'- Peter Watts, 1999
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Jetson ONE Air Races Begin, Can Air Polo Be Far Behind?
'If you're one of those rarities who haven't attended a rocket-polo "carnage", let me tell you it's a colorful affair.'
Will Space Stations Have Large Interior Spaces Again?
'They filed clumsily into the battleroom, like children in a swimming pool for the first time, clinging to the handholds along the side.'
Mornine Sales Robot
'Robot-salesmen were everywhere, gesturing...'
Bipedal Robot Floats Gently While Walking
'a walking balloon proceeded with long strides of its aluminum legs...'
Musk Idea Of Cars Talking To Each Other Predicted 70 Years Ago
'My cars talk to one another.'
Elegant Bivouac Shelter Produces Water And Electricity
'There was nowhere on the planet where science and technology could not provide one with a comfortable home...'
X-Control Janus-1 A Suitcase Aircraft
'You will notice that it... fits the suitcase nicely.'
'AI Assistants' Are Actually Less Reliable For News
'Most men updated their PIP on New Year's Day...'
YES!! Remote Teleoperated Robots predicted by Technovelgy!
'...a misshapen, many-tentacled thing about twice the size of a man.'
Will Robots Ever Fold Landry?
Where have you gone, Mrs. Robinson?
Will AIs Give Better Results If You're Rude To Them?
'I said, "Listen up, motherf*cker.'
Cybertruck Robotic Arm F10 Drone Launch!
Drone away!
Black Fungus Blocks Radiation
'You were surrounded by Astrophage most of the time'
Liuzhi Process Now In Use In China
'He was in a high-ceilinged windowless cell with walls of glittering white porcelain.'
Reflect Orbital Offers 'Sunlight on Demand' And Light Pollution
'I don't have to tell you about the seven two-mile-diameter orbital mirrors...'
Will Robots Become Family Caregivers?
'The robant and the tiny old woman entered the control room slowly...'
