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University Team Builds Lego and Raspberry Pi Cluster

Posted by Unknown on from the build-a-beowulf-wait-a-minute dept.

hypnosec writes about a neat little hack using Lego, Raspberry Pis, and Scratch to construct a "supercomputer." From the article: "A team of computational engineers over at the University of Southampton led by Professor Simon Cox have built a supercomputer using Raspberry Pi and Lego. The supercomputer is comprised of 64 processors, 1TB of storage (16GB SD cards in each of the Raspberry Pis) and can be powered on using just a single 13-amp mains socket. MPI is used for communications between the nodes through the ethernet port. The team managed to build the core of the supercomputer for under £2500. Named 'Iridis-Pi' after University of Southampton's supercomputer Iridis, the supercomputer runs software that was built using Python and Scratch. Professor Cox used the free plug-in 'Python Tools for Visual Studio' to develop code for the Raspberry Pi." Lots of pictures of the thing, and a howto on making your own.

9 of 147 comments (clear)

  1. Real news for this article by BooMonster · · Score: 5, Funny

    One university managed to get a hold of 64 Raspberry PI units.

  2. For the old timers by thammoud · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can we now retire "Bewolf cluster" jokes?

    1. Re:For the old timers by wild_quinine · · Score: 3, Funny

      Call me old fashioned, but my time on Slashdot has taught me that it's much better to *imagine* a cluster than to create one.

    2. Re:For the old timers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Call me old fashioned, but my time in jail has taught me that it's much better to *imagine* a naked, petrified Natalie Portman covered in hot grits than to create one.

  3. Meme overload by Plammox · · Score: 4, Funny

    Aaaargh...imagine a.....in the Soviet Union....***carrier lost***

  4. It's called a bramble, guys by Bovius · · Score: 5, Funny

    Cluster of Raspberry Pis = Bramble. Slashdot has been so drooly over every nitpicky update about these, I thought everyone here would know that by now.

    1. Re:It's called a bramble, guys by History's+Coming+To · · Score: 4, Funny

      Brambles are blackberries, you'd need a cluster of mobile email devices to use that name. I believe this is the more generic "Thicket".

      --
      Please consider this account deleted, I just can't be bothered with the spam anymore.
  5. Re:Not a `Super' computer by localman57 · · Score: 4, Funny

    You did? That's amazing! I'm submitting it as a slashdot article now.
    Man Builds SuperComputer from a 486 and a 300 Baud Modem

  6. You forgot BitCoins!, the MPAA, and Unity, etc. by sirwired · · Score: 5, Funny

    You clearly need to turn in your Slashdot commenter license... to REALLY entice editors to post a story, work BitCoins into the mix. Oohh... better yet, work in references to the MPAA, And Ubuntu, and whatever else can be stirred into the pot. References to MAME are old school... (although that can be forgiven, Mr. 4-digit UID.)

    How does this sound? "Raspberry Pi used to mine BitCoins to help pay an MPAA Lawsuit Fine. However, due to a security hole in Ubuntu caused by the new Unity interface, the new coins were stolen from the user by someone claiming to be affiliated with Anonymous. Wil Wheaton offers to sponsor a live D&D game played with Arduino-programmed robotic miniatures to make up for the lost funds."

    Did I miss anything?