World’s fastest supercomputer Fugaku starts full operations
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Japan’s Fugaku, the world’s fastest supercomputer, currently utilized in research to combat the novel coronavirus, ramped up from partial to full-scale operations on March 9.
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Fugaku, jointly developed by the Riken research institute and leading computer maker Fujitsu Ltd., was scheduled to go into full operation on April 1, but things went more smoothly than forecast.
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The supercomputer had already been put into partial operations to study preventive measures against the virus. It will also be utilized for a wide range of other fields, including industrial applications.
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In fiscal 2021, Fugaku will be used to conduct research to predict torrential rainstorms and to develop new drugs, in addition to work on anti-coronavirus measures. It is also expected to be utilized in industrial fields.
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When Fugaku’s predecessor, the K supercomputer, started operations, businesses could only utilize about 5 percent of its total calculation capacity.
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But with Fugaku, they can now use around 15 percent since it began operating and that usage could rise in the future.
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The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association is trying to find new ways to develop improved cars faster and at less expense with Fugaku.
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Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. is planning to use Fugaku for research to study molecular structures of rubber materials and to stop tires from deteriorating.
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Fugaku and its developers are also attracting more attention from foreign entities.
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Fujitsu announced that it has received an order to make a supercomputer system for Portugal.
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The system, which will use Fugaku’s central processing unit, is expected to be used in academic institutions in Portugal and other European countries.
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Fugaku was listed No. 1 in the world on the Top 500 supercomputer calculation speed ranking last June and November with a calculation speed of more than 400 quadrillion calculations per second.
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Its computational capabilities are about 100 times higher than the K supercomputer.
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Fugaku cost about 130 billion yen ($1.2 billion) to develop, including about 110 billion yen that was paid for at national expense.
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