Students Power Supercomputer with Bicycles

inkslinger77 writes "A team of ten MIT students powered a supercomputer for twenty minutes by pedaling bicycles. They duly claimed the world record for human-powered computing (HPC). They powered a SiCortex SC648 supercomputer with a Linux cluster of 648 CPUs and almost 1TB of main memory in a single cabinet. The system is low-powered and draws 1,200 watts without needing special power supplies or cooling..."

Comments

A laptop CPU needs 100Watts?

[AnarchyDuck]

a typical notebook computer CPU needing 100 watts, according to SiCortex CEO John Mucci My laptop draws about 20Watts max when running on battery power, even with the CPU running full-throttle. Much of those watts is for the backlight and drive. A 'typical laptop CPU', an Intel Pentium Mobile, uses maximal 24W, according to the datasheet provided by Intel. Saying a laptop would typically use 100W is a bit overstated.

Re:What I find impressive...

[MichaelSmith]

What I find impressive is the fact that apparently, the average power output of each cyclist was at least 120 W

A quick google suggests that 400 W is about right for a rider in good condition for a short time.

Re:Question

[Yetihehe]

You must be superhuman. Best cyclists can endure 200 wats for few hours. I could make 200w for 5 minutes (tested on ergometer).

Re:Question

[Simon Brooke]

You must be superhuman. Best cyclists can endure 200 wats for few hours. I could make 200w for 5 minutes (tested on ergometer).

Actually, you're well wrong. Cycling, like anything else, is about power to weight ratio. Lance Armstrong, in training, could output 6.8 watts per kilogramme, which on his body weight of 74Kg is just over 500 watts. Some of the big fast guys (Tom Boonen, Magnus Backstedt) can sustain really startling outputs for long periods of time. I have a friend who peaks around 600 watts and can sustain better than 400 all day; but on his 102Kg that's only 6 watts per Kg. That's strictly amateur - he's fast for us, but he couldn't compete with the pros.

There's nothing at all hard about 200 watts. Any club cyclist who can do a ten mile time trial at evens is sustaining 4.8 watts/Kg for half an hour. I can do that, and I'm probably old enough to be your grandfather. I weigh 82Kg, so for me that's 381 watts. And I can certainly do 200 watts (13.5mph on the flat, for someone my weight) for eight hours continuous without difficulty.