High-tech approaches provide glimpses into the pivotal role of the computer in future society

Computers are a part of our life. In addition to extremely difficult calculations, super computers at Osaka University's Cybermedia Center also focus on research into virtual reality. We interviewed Professor Hirotaka NAKANO, Director, Cybermedia Center, and Associate Professor Kiyoshi KIYOKAWA. They spoke with us about the potential super computers provide us with and some of the latest research in virtual reality.

Visualization of fluid analysis is our strength

Tell us about your supercomputers.

One of our supercomputers uses vector processors consisting of NEC SX-9 and NEC SX-8 and is particularly outstanding in complex calculations. Then, the scalar type PC cluster, consisting of a set of tightly connected 575 education computers, that we introduced in the autumn of 2012 is good at parallel computation, possessing the computational ability of a supercomputer. These two types of supercomputers have enabled us to fulfill the needs for both vector and scalar types of ultra high speed scientific calculations.

What are characteristics of vector and scalar calculations?

Vector type super computers are good at, for example, fluid analysis computation, achieving outstanding results in computing inflow directions of eddies of wind around high buildings and in computing simulations of supersonic jet engine injection. It's difficult to understand the results by seeing only figures so we also focus on helping people understand the results through visual representation. As for our PC cluster, there is no other scalar type cluster in Japan such as ours. In the future, this cluster will enable the individual PCs to act as thin clients for education during the day and to be used as a single large computer at night when classes are not held. This system's ability will be efficiently used and will make a great contribution to saving energy.

A tool for expanding research communities

You have proactively made your computers available to the institutions outside the university, haven't you?

In addition to the NPO Biogrid Center Kansai which uses our computers for molecular docking-simulation, many organizations and companies use our systems. Thanks to the High Performance Computing Infrastructure (HPCI) of Riken with its K computer, as well as Osaka University and other national universities with their super computers, research institutes are developing a system in which anybody will be able to use a supercomputer in Japan under certain conditions. Letting the public have access to the university's supercomputers contributes to society and leads to an expanding researcher community. Using supercomputers in the community will create spin-off effects, promoting development in a variety of fields. Our supercomputers are designed taking ease-of-use into consideration, so we hope as many people as possible will make use of them.

How do you view the future of supercomputers?

Computers have achieved remarkable development. These days, personal computers have higher performance than our first supercomputers did that were introduced about 30 years ago. In order to fulfill researchers' infinite intellectual appetite, further progress is expected, but some say that the development of computers using current technology is approaching a physical limit. Therefore, when conducting various types of research, we need to consider not only the calculation speed of the super computer, but also the respective strengths of the different computers.

Interview with Associate Professor Kiyokawa -- The new world produced by merging reality and computer-generated images

Development of eyeglass display

I've heard you are a specialist in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).

VR and AR are technologies that provide users with a virtual environment by means of computer technology. On the one hand, virtual reality produced by a computer creates a "reality" separate and distinct from what is actually there; AR, on the other hand, is a melding of the virtual with the real. The computer-generated image melds with and/or enhances what they eye would normally see. VR and AR are advancing in similar ways as computer technology advances, providing us with functions without our having to think about the computer.
Now I'm involved in the development of a special eyeglass display that makes use of AR technology. A person wearing this display sees an overlay of virtual computer graphic images on the real world. This device is a see-through display that provides a highly evaluated revolutionary wide field of view, equivalent to what is natural for a human. I'm particularly fond of this eyeglass display because it fits smoothly in to the way we humans see things in the real world.

I hope that people will find what the techies have created both useful and fun

In conducting VR and AR research, it's important to think of the end user, isn't it?

That's right. For example, when you arrive at a station, if the timetable of your train appears on the eyeglass display, it'll be helpful. To achieve this, a system in which a computer understands where you are, what you are looking at, guesses what you want based on past situations, and provides information accordingly is what we need to create. The concept "context awareness" means that the computer infers the user's current condition and provides the needed information. This is an important idea when conducting VR and AR research.

Aren't you concerned that such convenience may cause a decline in overall human ability?

The concept of the "benefit of inconvenience" has become a current topic. Inconvenience can have a positive effect on people. People engage in creative activities such as learning, thinking, and discovering when faced with inconvenience. With increased tools and convenience, the concept of the benefit of inconvenience will become important. However, the time saved by making use of convenient tools can be used for creative activities. Thinking in this way, convenience is of value. Users or society will have to choose whether convenient technology is used or not. No doubt the time may come when we will have to take a look at the benefits of less convenience.