I’m researching new uses of technologies and methods originating from High Performance Computing (HPC), some call it Technical Computing and others Supercomputing. I’m focusing on use cases in more unconventional areas such as in business or marketing processes.
There are many examples of technologies that have made this transition beyond HPC and reached a wider user base. A few of them are grid computing, parallel computing, use of accelerators and many others. The Internet itself and web browsing are other famous examples. On the horizon we have Cloud Computing that also can be said to have its roots in HPC.
What I’m looking for are new trends and new use cases where “HPC technologies” help solve largely non-technical problems. For example, are substantial compute resources being used to simulate the performance or predict future behavior of business models or marketing programs before they are launched? If so, how common is this usage? With the rise of Cloud computing, are new technologies now within reach of almost anyone? for small businesses or for home use?
I’m exploring new usages and new trends and don’t want to limit it too much by asking too specific questions at this time. Please leave a comment on this entry if you’re aware of anything that you think may fall in this rather open area, or if you have suggestions for where to look.
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