#CHIPS: "Yellowstone Supercomputer Sports Massive Xeon E5 Array"

Long past is the era when faster supercomputers depended on faster system clocks. In fact, the next generation of faster supercomputers are turning down the clock--to save power--and instead multiplying the number of cores to achieve their performance boost. Witness the lower clock speed of the petaFLOPS-class supercomputer called Yellowstone which is being assembled by IBM using a massive array of Intel Xeon processors for introduction next month by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR): R. Colin Johnson


Yellowstone, the newest supercomputer at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), is now fully assembled and undergoing testing for its debut next month.

A supercomputer with a massive array of Intel Xeon E5 cores will debut next month, multiplying by 29 times the computing power at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).

Called Yellowstone, the 1.5 petaFLOPS supercomputer at NCAR’s Wyoming Supercomputing Center (NWSC, Cheyenne) will be used by the Computational and Information Systems Lab for weather forecasting, the development of detailed climate models and other critical environmental research.


The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has a new Yellowstone supercomputer which houses 72,288 Intel Xeon E5 cores in its main computing array (center) with dedicated data-analysis and visualization (DAV) resources (Geyser and Caldera respectively, left) and a Globally Accessible Data Environment--GLADE (right).

Yellowstone has been under development for several years at NCAR–long before Intel announced its Xeon Phi 50+ multi-core coprocessors due this fall–but already NCAR is planning to evaluate Intel’s Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture for follow-on systems to Yellowstone...
Further Reading

"CHIPS: "IBM maps spin-helix semiconductors"

IBM and scientists at ETH Zurich for the first time have demonstrated a spin helix in a semiconductor, thereby synchronizing electrons to extends their spin lifetime of the electron by 30 times to over one nanosecond--the same time it takes for an existing 1 GHz processor to cycle: R. Colin Johnson


IBM scientist Gian Salis demonstrates how synchronizing electrons extends the spin lifetime thereby making spintronics feasible.

The first direct mapping of a persistent spin helix in a semiconductor has been demonstrated by IBM Researhc (Zurich). By extending the spin lifetime of electrons by 30-times to the cycle time of a 1GHz processor, the researchers were able to demonstrate the feasibility of using spin to store, transport and process information. IBM claims its discovery heralds a new class of magnetic-based transistors that use spin--instead of charge--resulting in more energy efficient semiconductors.

"The idea of a persistent spin helix was put forward by theoretical physicists in the group of professor Daniel Loss at the University of Basel [in 2003]," said IBM researcher Gian Salis. "Our direct experimental observation was enabled by both, the unique experimental set-up that allows for time-resolved imaging of spin polarization at low temperatures and high magnetic fields, as well as the excellent sample material produced by our collaborators at ETH Zurich."

Spintronics has been favored for the next generation of electronics, since individual electrons could then be used to store either ones or zeros depending on their spin orientation. However, researchers have not been able to demonstrate long-enough spin lifetimes to make the technique commercially feasible.

IBM scientists demonstrated spin lifetimes of over a nanosecond by using laser pulses to monitor spin orientation of thousands of electrons in a quantum well. By arranging their spins into a regular stripe-like pattern--called a persistent spin helix--the IBM scientists were able to synchronize electron spins and verify they stayed in sych over distances of over 10 microns, a distance that would allow logical operation to be performed.

The gallium arsenide (GaAs) material in which the persistent spn helix was demonstrated was produced by scientists at ETH Zurich. The experiment was performed at 40 degrees Kelvin (-387 F).

Funding was provided by the Swiss National Science Foundation, the National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) Nanoscale Sciences and NCCR Quantum Science and Technology.
Further Reading

#MEMS: "Freescale MEMS sensors target mobile"

MEMS sensor are becoming standard equipment on all touchscreen-based devices, including all low-end smartphones and other mobile devices. Freescale is accordingly filling out its catalog of inexpensive MEMS accelerometers with ultra-small inexpensive models that nevertheless do not compromise of specifications: R. Colin Johnson



Here is what EETimes says about Freescale's new accelerometers: As smart touchscreen devices shrink in price and size, MEMS motions sensors must keep pace. To that end, Freescale Semiconductor recently introduced a smaller, cheaper MEMS device the company claims does not compromise on accuracy, noise and power specifications for the next-generation of low-cost smartphones, tablets, digital cameras, portable navigation and health care devices...
Further Reading

#ALGORITHMS: "Sparse Inference Uncovers 9/11 Perpetrators"

In hindsight its sometime easy to see hot the dots could have been connected if only we have known which dots were the important ones. Now a new algorithm called Sparse Inference claims to have succeeded in predicting the source-location of terrorists, spammers, malware, biological epidemics and even the most important blogs for a marketing campaingn: R. Colin Johnson


The ringleader of the hijackers involved in the September 11th 2001 attack, Mohamed Atta, could have been identified from two wiretaps (green) using the Sparse Inference algorithm which identified three possible sources (red) one of which was Atta. SOURCE: EPFL

The complex webs of interactions that distinguish the propagation of malware, spam, biological epidemics and even terrorism plots is extremely difficult to analyze. However, the inventors of a new algorithm at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) claim to be able to track down perpetrators using just a few sources--even claiming that the mastermind of 9/11 could have been identified from just two wire taps.

"The mastermind of 9/11 was Mohammed Atta, which was already known," said inventor of the algorithm, EPFL researcher Pedro Pinto. "What we have shown is that monitoring the communications of just a few terrorists and applying our source-location algorithm could have led to the same result. And in other scenarios, it can be used for prevention as well."

The algorithm called "Sparse Inference" (SparseInf) makes accurate source-location predictions using a multi-dimensional version of the algorithm that cell phone carriers use to triangulate the location of mobile handsets.

"It was inspired by how localization works in wireless networks, where three or more base-stations measure the distance to your cell-phone, and use triangulation to pinpoint it's location. We just do something similar, but on a graph," said Pinto.


Sparse Inference used historical data to trace the source of a cholera outbreak that occurred in the KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa, in 2000.

Using historical databases the researchers have shows how the algorithm could have been used to quickly find the source-location of a whole variety of hard-to-trace examples--from epidemic outbreaks in Africa to the source-location of the sarin nerve gas that killed 13 and injured nearly a 1,000 in Tokyo in 1995. They claim that the algorithm could also be used to trace the source-location of malware and spammers online, and speculate that in the future, even businesses could use the algorithm to identify the Internet blogs that are most influential for their target audience.

"The algorithm relies on the principle of 'maximum likelihood hypothesis testing', adapted to arbitrary graphs, so it's pretty general in applicability," said Pinto.

Currently, the team is attempting to adapt SparseInf to be used preemptively, to make important predictions before they materialize--from epidemic outbreaks to terrorism plots to finding the sources of an Internet rumors to identifying blogs key to a successful marketing campaign.
Further Reading

#CHIPS: "Cray Moving to Intel-based Supercomputers"

Intel is aggressively moving into massively parallel supercomputers with its Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture starting with the 50+ core Xeon Phi coprocessor. By wooing Cray to its microprocessors, Intel aims to expand its dominance in high-performance computing (HPCs) and establish a beachhead for its massively parallel MICs due out later this year: R. Colin Johnson



Here is what GoParallel.Sourceforge.net says about Cray and Intel: The most famous supercomputer maker of all time, Cray Inc. (Seattle, Wash.) has moved to Intel processors for the first time in its long history. Originally founded in 1972 by Seymour Cray who practically invented the supercomputer in the 1960s at Control Data Corporation (CDC), Cray Research was sold to SGI in 1996, and then resold to what became the current Cray Inc. in 2000. Since then Cray’s supercomputers have been best known for their high-end systems using AMD’s Opteron processors. Cray’s next-generation supercomputer code-named Cascade, however, will be its first high-end system based on Intel (although Cray has sold the CX1 and CX1000 work-group systems using Intel-based processors for several years)...
Further Reading

#MEMS: "MEMS enable 'human body on a chip'"

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) are usually all electronic, but by adding the ability to pipe fluids around on the chip's surface allows them to emulate the interactions among our different systems--from nervous to respiratory. The new arena of bio-cicuitry can now combine living tissue functionality with electronic control, enabling human-bodies on-a-chip that speed both drug discovery and security screening: R. Colin Johnson


Human body on-a-chip hosts up to 10 interchangeable human tissue modules using microfluidics to model human responses to drugs and vaccines.

Here is what EETimes says about human bodies on-a-chip: Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and elsewhere have embarked on an ambitious $32 million " human body-on-a-chip" research project that will use micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) microfluidics to mimic people's reactions to substances-of-interest.

The researchers will use microfluidics to test drugs, vaccines and toxins on engineered human tissue samples housed above sensors on an integrated circuit. Funding for the project is being provided by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) and the National Institute of Health (NIH)...
Further Reading

#3D: "Animated characters brought to life by 3-D printing"

3-D printers use a laser to cure a liquid polymer on its top surface, allowing nearly any object to be created as the level of a platform holding up the object is sunk deeper and deeper into the vat. After the top layer of the object is congealed in the polymer with the laser, the vat is drained and the 3-D object revealed--completely assembled. And with this new Harvard software showing at Siggraph 2012, any animated character can be quickly fabricated using a 3-D printer:: R. Colin Johnson


The 3-D animation character (left) was imaged with a 3-D printer (right) with Harvard software. Photo Credit: Moritz Bächer/Harvard

Here is what EETimes says about 3-D printers: The virtual world is being brought to life by reverse engineering the rendering operation that draws on-screen characters in video games and other software animations. Harvard University researchers will describe a patented new algorithm that uses three-dimensional printers to create personalized action figures from animations at next week's Siggraph 2012 show in Los Angeles. Software animations create both realistic and fanciful characters, but their makeup and capabilities need not match those that are possible in the real world. Harvard's software, however, translates the primary characteristics of the on-screen characters into articulated components that together realize a figurine that can be created by a 3-D printer.
Further Reading

#MEDICAL: "Independa Provides Plug-and-Play Health Monitoring"

At home wireless medical monitoring equipment allows elderly to lead independent lives in their own homes without the risk. Independa today announced deal with Ideal Life to incorporate its medical dispensers and other monitoring devices into its wireless hub: R. Colin Johnson



Here is what Independa says about its deal with Ideal LIfe: Home health, home care and other professional caregivers face a bewildering array of options for monitoring the independent elderly, and they often have to play integrator to make disparate devices work together. A new agreement between Independa™ and IDEAL LIFE will help avoid that hassle, time and expense by providing caregivers and caregiving organizations a suite of solutions that are connected and ready to use right out of the box.

Independa will integrate IDEAL LIFE’s wireless health monitoring products – including scales, glucometers, pulse oximeters, blood pressure cuffs, medication dispensers and a wireless hub – into the Independa Artemis™ solution.

Caregivers and the independent elderly will simply unpack and power up the devices, which will automatically connect wirelessly to other Artemis elements. This turnkey out-of-the-box experience is ideal for quickly establishing monitoring systems, such as when a person returns home after surgery or moves into an independent living facility.

Artemis, scheduled for general availability this fall, will feature a wide selection of health, safety and activity sensors, with support for a variety of healthcare communications protocols. Artemis will be offered through Independa partners, including home health, home care and senior living providers that want to provide next-generation telecare services.

“Technology is a means to achieve longer and better independent living, more cost-effective care and peace of mind,” said Independa CEO Kian Saneii. “Through our relationship with IDEAL LIFE, technology will fade into the background the moment caregivers and the older adults open the box. In the process, our companies are setting the standard for integrated, cloud-based telecare and eliminating a major barrier to adoption.”

“Many IDEAL LIFEand Independa customers were searching for such a complete and plug-and-play solution, urging our companies to work together,” said IDEAL LIFE President Jason Goldberg. “The integration of IDEAL LIFE solutions into Artemis creates an innovative platform that meets this need by providing a turnkey experience allowing caregivers to focus on what they do best.”
Further Reading