The Northern Irish government and Fujitsu have launched a high performance computing (HPC) service with the aim of developing the knowledge economy for the region.
Launched by Northern Ireland First Minister the Rt Hon Peter D. Robinson MLA and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MLA, the project is the first of its kind for Northern Ireland, with the potential to add significant competitive advantage to a wide range of local businesses and researchers who could benefit from the application of high performance computing to their work.
The initiative follows a visit by the Ministers to Fujitsu’s Tokyo headquarters last December as part of a business mission to Japan.
Fujitsu said that it expects to invest approximately £1.1 million (€1.4 million) in the HPC Service and hopes to build a number of innovative collaborations which will give local businesses and researchers access to world-class, secure and easy to use high performance computing technology which is critical to solving advanced computational problems. With a catalogue of applications across a large number of innovative sectors including: medical and life sciences; agriculture; the creative industries; advanced materials and manufacturing; financial and professional services; ICT; Energy and Environment; and Construction, the project will enable local industry and researchers to greatly enhance their computing power in a cost effective and efficient manner.
Fujitsu in collaboration with its partner HPC Wales and using the latest of its technology and expertise will deliver the HPC service, which has the capacity to handle and analyse massive amounts of data at high speed. Through the Fujitsu HPC Service, tasks that can take months using normal computers can be delivered in days or even minutes, at a fraction of the cost organisations would otherwise incur.
It can be used to model and solve highly complex problems across a range of high value sectors. In particular it can deliver faster and more efficient computer modelling, data analysis, rapid mathematical calculations, simulations, visualisation of complex data, software development and digital image rendering for the creative industries.
“Fujitsu’s global vision is to deliver A Human Centric Intelligent Society and to harness the power of technology to achieve a better and more self-sustaining society,” said Newland McKelvey, account manager, Fujitsu. “As part of that agenda we have long been at the leading edge of High Performance Computing development and application. We know that HPC technology helps promote the development of a deeper understanding of science and engineering and that its ability to process and interpret huge volumes of data will encourage the discovery of new solutions to many of the emerging 21st Century challenges.
“With this background and expertise we understand the great power and enabling potential it offers the local knowledge economy in terms of product innovation, knowledge capital, commercially focused research application and associated job creation.”
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