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PlayStation 3 recorded by Guinness for distributed computing achievement

In a move that will surely make both the research community and Sony smile, Guinness Worlds Records officially recognized the PlayStation 3 Folding@home network as the most powerful distributed computing network in the world. More than 670,000 PS3 consoles partook in the Folding@home program on September 21, making up a combined petaflop in overall computing power.

"To have Folding@home recognized by Guinness World Records as the most powerful distributed computing network ever is a reflection of the extraordinary worldwide participation by gamers and consumers around the world and for that we are very grateful," said Vijay Pande, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Stanford University and Folding@home project lead.

"Without them we would not be able to make the advancements we have made in our studies of several different diseases. But it is clear that none of this would be even remotely possible without the power of PS3, it has increased our research capabilities by leaps and bounds," added Pande.

"To have PS3 play such a large role in allowing Folding@home to be honored by Guinness World Records is truly incredible," said Masayuki Chatani, Executive Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, Technology Platform, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "This record is clear evidence of the power of PS3 and the contributions that it is making to the Folding@home network, and more importantly, scientific research."

The Folding@home program runs simulations in protein folding, helping scientists to understand – and hopefully curing – diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and certain forms of cancer.

Since joining Stanford University’s Folding@home program in March, the PlayStation 3 has led all processors in sheer productivity numbers.

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F@H needs config option
By Eurasianman on 11/6/2007 10:29:11 AM , Rating: 2
I'd like to see them add cofig options like the computer versions have.

I'd like to be able to have my PS3 fold one unit (basically, fold at night time) and then quit (possibly turn off as well would be a big plus).

Overall, I'm glad to see gamers can use their consoles for more than just gaming and watching movies :)




RE: F@H needs config option
By zombiexl on 11/6/2007 10:35:51 AM , Rating: 3
quote:
Overall, I'm glad to see gamers can use their consoles for more than just gaming and watching movies :)


It has to do something besides play games, sicne the selection is still pretty crappy. It would be intersting to see how the 360 could do at this. It would most likely result in a lot more xBrick 360's though.


RE: F@H needs config option
By Goty on 11/6/2007 12:24:07 PM , Rating: 2
The reason the PS3 is so good at folding is because the Cell is a number-crunching beast. It's much more well suited to folding than gaming (at least until game programmers get the hang of coding for it).

The 360 could compete if a F@H client was developed to run on the GPU, but if comparisons to desktop GPUs are any indicator, it still wouldn't be quite as fast as the PS3.


RE: F@H needs config option
By deeznuts on 11/6/2007 12:59:12 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
The reason the PS3 is so good at folding is because the Cell is a number-crunching beast. It's much more well suited to folding than gaming (at least until game programmers get the hang of coding for it).
I think they are starting too though, and that's good news. Insomniac of course has gotten the hang of it easily. Naughty Dog is so excited about their Uncharted engine, they want to make a Jak and Dexter game, which I think they previously said was dead (the franchise).

COD4 by all accounts runs just as good as the 360 version, and if you remember, was not a port but developed independently.

Those calling the PS3 platform a crappy gaming platform are just fanboys, not fans of true gaming. There are games to be had across all 3 platfoms.


RE: F@H needs config option
By Chaser on 11/6/2007 5:46:37 PM , Rating: 2
Also Epic Game's Unreal Engine coming very soon for the PS3 as well.


RE: F@H needs config option
By bunnyfubbles on 11/6/2007 7:44:49 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
The 360 could compete if a F@H client was developed to run on the GPU, but if comparisons to desktop GPUs are any indicator, it still wouldn't be quite as fast as the PS3.

I don't know what numbers you're using, but folding on an X1900 GPU clearly offers more folding power than a PS3 by a factor of 2 or more. If the 360's GPU is similar enough to the R520 then it could definitely compete with the PS3. Even more so if the CPU could be utilized as well. But the fact something hasn't been done before now tells me it probably isn't ideal for whatever reason.


RE: F@H needs config option
By leexgx on 11/7/2007 9:59:56 AM , Rating: 3
id not want Folding@home on an 360 as it Kill it

Ps3 run cool to warm, even under load


RE: F@H needs config option
By AlphaVirus on 11/6/2007 11:20:14 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Overall, I'm glad to see gamers can use their consoles for more than just gaming and watching movies :)

Maybe people will stop blaming games for all the bad things that go on (school shootouts, muggings, etc)

I guess next we will see gamers running into labs trying to run protien experiments huh? We will be able to blame the playstation right?

I am buying a PS3 for christmas.


RE: F@H needs config option
By murphyslabrat on 11/6/2007 1:04:57 PM , Rating: 2
We could even make it a game! Though, people might find it a little monotonous, so it might require some "enhancement." To some extent it's already been done, though, by Half-Life. Never has scientific research been so fun!


RE: F@H needs config option
By Hawkido on 11/6/2007 3:02:14 PM , Rating: 2
You could spice it up by having to fold protien on a prostitute, and then when you are done you can cure her of the STD you just gave her... LOL


Nice...
By ArenaNinja on 11/6/2007 10:32:56 AM , Rating: 5
Nice but.... can it play Doom?




RE: Nice...
By Mitch101 on 11/6/2007 11:10:17 AM , Rating: 2
How about best impersination of a George Forman Grill?


RE: Nice...
By Flunk on 11/6/2007 11:51:46 AM , Rating: 2
It's the amazing fat reducing folding machine.


Nice
By TheDiceman on 11/6/2007 10:37:15 AM , Rating: 5
I am still not much of a PS3 fan, but it is good to see that the technology is being used on some level for such medial advancements and research. I typically leave my home PC running FoH when I am at work all day and would do the same with a PS3 if I ever get one.




Typical Sony...
By DEVGRU on 11/6/2007 10:46:15 AM , Rating: 5
I wonder if this is a case of mistaken identity between Sony's 'Entertainment' and some other division...

...Somewhere in Sony's Supercomputing department, engineers are wondering why their protein-folding simulations are getting such killer frame-rates!




Folding as we Speak
By BansheeX on 11/6/2007 11:46:26 AM , Rating: 2
I have my PS3 folding while I'm at work and when I'm asleep.

I've been switching off between R&C and Oblivion the past week, but I watched the 2001 BR last night. Epic!




RE: Folding as we Speak
By Shortass on 11/6/2007 2:50:06 PM , Rating: 2
I have my CPU folding while I'm at school and when I'm asleep.

I've been switching off between M2:TW and Crysis the past week, but I watched the 300 last night. Satisfactory!


Marketing
By rmaharaj on 11/6/2007 3:40:35 PM , Rating: 1
While the PS3 has undoubtedly made a massive contribution to F@H, the 670,000 number from Sony is pure marketing BS. Although that many may have registered accounts, only 311,000 have ever returned a work unit according to Stanford's official stats:

http://fah-web.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/main.py?qtype=...




RE: Marketing
By Chaser on 11/6/2007 5:50:39 PM , Rating: 2
And so your point?

Nevermind.


RE: Marketing
By rmaharaj on 11/7/2007 12:45:16 AM , Rating: 1
The fact that Sony inflated their statistics isn't a point?

I suppose ignorance really is knowledge.


great!
By MangoSRT8 on 11/6/07, Rating: 0
RE: great!
By allnighter on 11/6/2007 1:42:38 PM , Rating: 2
Dare I assume you don't own one?


What about the GPUs?
By NicePants42 on 11/6/2007 2:41:45 PM , Rating: 2
From the earlier DT article regarding computing efficiency:
quote:
According to the most recent Folding@home client statistics sorted by operating system, the PlayStation 3 leads all other platforms by a huge margin. The PS3 has 367 current TFLOPS, while the next closest is Windows with 151 TFLOPS and more than ten times more CPUs.

When it comes to pure performance though, the PS3’s Cell Broadband Processor is still no match for ATI GPUs for protein folding. The GPUs on Folding@home sit at 41 current TFLOPS, which come from only 700 processors. If there were as many GPUs folding as there are PS3s on the network, it can be extrapolated that GPUs could reach 876 TFLOPS.


Not to take anything away from the PS3 network, but it seems like there's a lot more potential power to be tapped with more GPU development. The performance of those X1800 and X1900s really begs the question of what we could be doing with all these 8800 cards we've had for the last year - all the more because getting over 700 units crunching would be cake.

Are there any DC clients available that work on the 8800 series? I'm not aware of any.




Question
By Sylar on 11/13/2007 9:40:29 AM , Rating: 2
Since I don't know much about F@H, anyone care to explain if it is making any progress with all the contributors to this project. I understand the basic principle of how it works but how far off are we to finding cures to diseases based on the data obtained? The project was launched years ago, have they made any discoveries since?

Thanks




By kileil on 11/6/2007 12:09:42 PM , Rating: 1
What would be even more wonderful is if we could "rent" our unused cpu cycles to various companies in need. Much like how people with solar can sell excess electricity back to the grid.

If it were possible to fund a PS3 in this manner, I'd be all over it.


By Wightout on 11/6/2007 2:59:38 PM , Rating: 2
Is it possible to write it off for a tax break as a form of charity? The power, the time, the hardware... I dunno how write offs work so I am just throwing out the idea.


"If you can find a PS3 anywhere in North America that's been on shelves for more than five minutes, I'll give you 1,200 bucks for it." -- SCEA President Jack Tretton

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