Four Ways Supercomputing Is Changing Lives: From Climate Modeling to Manufacturing Consumer Goods

Supercomputing 2014 (SC14) recently released four dynamic videos detailing how supercomputers or high performance computing (HPC) are enhancing lives around the globe. From predicting superstorms to making blockbuster films like Disney’s recent “Big Hero 6”, the two-minute videos are in effort to better communicate how this technology is affecting people.

“These videos are just one component of our efforts to explain how HPC is making an enormous impact on a daily basis that most people don’t even realize,” said Trish Dramkroger, SC14 Chair from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. “Whether it is in your car or in a hospital, the impact of HPC is undeniable.”

The four videos are available here:

Climate Modeling
Learn how supercomputers are helping scientists to understand climate change and to develop solutions to mitigate its effects. Many thanks to our partners from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, MIT, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA Ames Research Center and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Disney Animation “Big Hero 6”
HPC is helping artists to develop and realize more rich life-like animation environments like those seen in Disney's Frozen, Tangled and its latest release Big Hero 6.

Weather Forecasting
HPC is helping meteorologists like those at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to make more accurate weather predictions, as well as to more rapidly warn people of dangerous and dynamic conditions, including tornadoes and hurricanes - saving money and lives.

Consumer Goods
From toothpaste to diapers to dish soap, companies like Procter & Gamble use HPC to create better, more efficient, more cost-effective products and services to improve our everyday lives.

More About SC14
SC14, sponsored by IEEE Computer Society and ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) offers a complete technical education program and exhibition to showcase the many ways high performance computing, networking, storage and analysis lead to advances in scientific discovery, research, education and commerce. This premier international conference includes a globally attended technical program, workshops, tutorials, a world class exhibit area, demonstrations and opportunities for hands-on learning. For more information on SC14, please visit: http://sc14.supercomputing.org.