HPC Applications

Overview High performance computing systems are more ubiquitous than you might think. High speed communication and the existence of low cost components have made HPC systems accessible to many research facilities, educational institutions, and commercial businesses. Grid computing techniques may make accessing HPC systems as easy as plugging a lamp into the electrical grid. Read more about specific HPC projects and computers below.

IBM's Deep Blue, the chess-playing supercomputer, is one of the best known examples of an HPC system. You can read all about the history of Deep Blue and what's in store for Deep Blue in the future, here.

The Human Genome Project is attempting to identify every gene in human DNA. With over 30,000 genes and 3 billion chemical base pairs, HPC is essential for storing, sequencing, and processing genome information. You can read about the project here.

The Earth Simulator Project claimed the top spot on the www.top500.org supercomputer ranking in 2001, and shows no signs of giving up that rank. Read about the project at www.es.jamstec.go.jp/esc/eng/outline/outline01.html.

Cray computers at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center also help with AIDS research; read about it at www.psc.edu.

Other links Links to other high performance computing projects can be found at this Yahoo page or by checking out the listings at www.top500.org/lists/2002/11/trends.html.