ARM-based Japanese supercomputer is now the fastest in the world

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Fugaku is being used in COVID-19 researchBy Sam Byford@345triangle  Jun 23, 2020, 1:34am EDT

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A Japanese supercomputer has taken the top spot in the biannual Top500 supercomputer speed ranking. Fugaku, a computer in Kobe co-developed by Riken and Fujitsu, makes use of Fujitsu’s 48-core A64FX system-on-chip. It’s the first time a computer based on ARM processors has topped the list.

Fugaku turned in a Top500 HPL result of 415.5 petaflops, 2.8 times as fast as IBM’s Summit, the nearest competitor. Fugaku also attained top spots in other rankings that test computers on different workloads, including Graph 500, HPL-AI, and HPCG. No previous supercomputer has ever led all four rankings at once.

While fastest supercomputer rankings normally bounce between American- and Chinese-made systems, this is Japan’s first system to rank first on the Top500 in nine years since Fugaku’s predecessor, Riken’s K computer. Overall there are 226 Chinese supercomputers on the list, 114 from America, and 30 from Japan. US-based systems contribute the most aggregate performance with 644 petaflops.Satoshi Matsuoka@ProfMatsuoka

I installed the contact tracing app for #COVID-19 on my Smartphone. Simulation on #Fugaku indicates we need 60% distribution for effectiveness. I encourage people in Japan to install to protect yourself & save lives. It was pro reviewed to be privacy safe. https://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/id1516764458?mt=8 …新型コロナウイルス接触確認アプリ本アプリは日本国内での利用を想定しております。 厚生労働省が公式提供する、新型コロナウイルス陽性登録した人との接触をお知らせするアプリです。 ■ できること 本アプリを端末に設定した人どうしの接触（1m以内、15分以上）を記録します。新型コロナウイルスに陽性と判定されたら本アプリに匿名で登録することができます。最近接触した人の中に陽性登録した人がいたら、通知と適切な行動をお知らせします。 ■…3.95987/5.0 stars – 3,489 ratings225:09 PM – Jun 21, 2020Twitter Ads info and privacySee Satoshi Matsuoka’s other Tweets

Fugaku is set to go into full operation next fiscal year. So far it has been used on an experimental basis to research COVID-19, including diagnostics, simulating the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and the effectiveness of Japan’s new contact tracing app.