Supercomputing has created entirely new fields of science and technology and revolutionized everything from genetics to robotics and graphics. Up until now many supercomputers have relied on a CPU-centric architecture, but Calgary-based Tycrid Platform Technologies, which presented at the 25th Angel Forum at the SFU downtown campus in Vancouver today, aims to change that by shifting computing power to the GPU, and by doing so bringing a new class of supercomputer at low cost to the desktop.
Tim Davies, the founder and chairman of the company, explained to assembled investors how their multi-teraflop machines can move supercomputing from power-hungry, rarified machine arrays that existed in specialized facilities to a box that you can rack-mount or use in an office. By doing so, less energy is consumed (making their products greener) and the machines are much more cost-effective than what’s currently online.
Davies said that because Tycrid provides its hardware to pioneers in nano and life sciences and other innovators, they become the enabler of those who are driving change and are able to then share in the revenue once those businesses reach critical mass.
Fundamentally, Davies said, in order to go forward green, cheap supercomputing is the only way forward, because eventually applications will need Teraflop-level power. And while the big players concentrate on big servers, Tycrid wants to push towards a “desktop on steroids”, he said.
