Brazil seeks projects for its best supercomputer

Projects are now being selected for execution in Brazil's most powerful computing resource.
By Angelica Mari for Brazil Tech

Brazil's National Laboratory of Scientific Computing is currently selecting research projects for application within the Santos Dumont supercomputing resource - the 148th best in the world and the most powerful in South America - in the field of processing demand.

Since there are three separate resources within the complex within different application purposes, interested parties with a representation in Brazil can submit proposals for research use of the computational capacity in a large scale, as well as smaller research projects.Santos Dumont is a cluster composed of three systems, Santos Dumont CPU, Santos Dumont GPU and Santos Dumont Hybrid. Out of its total processing capacity of 1,1 petaflops, Santos Dumont GPU alone can execute 456 teraflops/calculations per second.

Currently, Santos Dumont is accessed via the SINAPAD platform, which allows selected organizations to use the supercomputer for research matters that demand a large scale computing resource.

With six supercomputers in total, Brazil is the tenth country with most resources of that kind globally according to the twice-yearly Top500 list of the world's most powerful super machines.

Joint Israeli-Palestinian entrepreneurship youth initiative MEET is crowdfunding for peace

MEET, the Middle East Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow program, brings together young Palestinians and Jewish Israelis, using tech and innovation to form relationships
By Gabriel Avner, GeekTime

In the search for the ever elusive peace in the Middle East, one determined team is trying a slightly different approach, stepping away from the historical avenues aimed at resolving the conflict.

MEET, the Middle East Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow program, looks to bring together young Palestinians and Jewish Israelis, using technology and innovation as a way to form relationships and open up lines of communication between the two sides.

A week ago, the non-profit organization launched a crowdfunding campaign on the popular Indiegogo platform, hoping to raise at least $10,000. As of the writing of this article, the group has succeeded in raising almost $21,000, with nearly a month left to go until the drive closes. According to their page, a pair of donors have each pledged to match up to $10,000 for the campaign, further adding to the final amount.

Founded in 2004 by a collection of Israelis, Palestinians, and others from around the world, the program is partnered with the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Incorporating volunteers from MIT, MEET works with participants to develop skills in computer science, entrepreneurship, and what they call deeper understanding and leadership.

Brazil ranks tenth on world's supercomputer list

Country ranks high in terms of quantity of supercomputers but fails to make it to the list of the ten 100 best machines, report says
By Angelica Mari for Brazil Tech

Brazil is the tenth country with most supercomputers in the world, according to a reputable list of the world's most powerful machines published earlier this week.

Six supercomputers are located in Brazil, which places the country at number ten in the twice-yearly Top500 list of the world's most powerful super machines.

Out of all the Brazilian supercomputers, three are run by the National Laboratory for Scientific Computing (LNCC) in the Rio de Janeiro town of Petrópolis and one is managed by the Brazilian Institute of Space Research (Inpe). In addition, one supercomputer is run by oil giant Petrobrás and another by the Center for Integrated Manufacturing and Technology, in the northeastern capital of Salvador, in the state of Bahia.

The power of supercomputers is directly related to a country's technology-related progress. The machines are designed to perform complex simulations and applications to help scientific research in a vast range of industries, from weather forecasting to financial modeling and DNA sequencing.

The best Brazilian supercomputer, currently ranked 476th and run by LNCC, is Santos Dumont GPU. The supercomputer is part of a cluster composed of three systems, Santos Dumont CPU, Santos Dumont GPU and Santos Dumont Hybrid. With a total processing capacity of 1,1 petaflops (Santos Dumont GPU alone can execute 456 teraflops/calculations per second), the cluster is currently the most powerful supercomputer resource in Latin America.Despite making it to the top 10 list in terms of quantity of such equipment, none of the Brazilian machines has made it to the top 100 best supercomputers.

Locust-Shaped, 3D-Printed Robot Can Traverse Rocky Terrain, Assist In Search And Rescue

In recent years, advanced robotic platforms have provided assistance to crisis intervention teams in the wake of man-made and natural disasters. The objective of such robots, in various sizes and shapes, has been to intervene where humans cannot and send life-saving data to rescue teams in the field
By NoCamels Team

Now, a miniature robot is poised to make a major contribution to the field of advanced robotics. The new locust-inspired robot, developed in Israel by researchers from Tel Aviv University and Ort Braude College, is five inches long and weighs less than one ounce. It can jump 11 feet high — more than twice the height of similar-sized robots, according to the researchers — and cover a horizontal

distance of 4.5 feet in one leap. The researchers believe the robot will perform well in search-and-rescue missions and in reconnaissance operations in rough terrain.

Inspired by nature
“Our locust-inspired, miniature jumping robot is a beautiful example of bio-inspired technological innovation,” TAU’s Prof. Amir Ayali, who led the research, said in a statement. “Miniature robots are of special interest in the robotics field, attracting a lot of attention and research. The manufacture of tiny robots is cheap and efficient; their small size allows them to traverse difficult and unknown terrain; and many can be used in any given situation.”