by Ken Chiacchia | Apr 9, 2026 | Bridges-2, Science Highlights
Mass casualty incidents can rapidly overwhelm rescuers. Advances in robotic coordination may help human rescuers more effectively use the triage process to prioritize who to help first. CMU Team Responds to $7-Million DARPA Challenge with Robot-Human Team, Guided by...
by Ken Chiacchia | Apr 3, 2026 | Anniversary, Science Highlights
The link between the Cray Y-MP and the Connection Machine CM-2 paved the way for high-performancing parallel interfacing between supercomputers. Pictured here, the Cray T3D system is installed, which was connected with a data-transfer link to the Cray C90. 1991 Union...
by Ken Chiacchia | Mar 13, 2026 | Bridges-2, Science Highlights
Octopuses’ arms can move in amazingly complex ways — and may be a better model than human arms for robots. Virtual Octopus Arm Shows Complex Movements Can Be Governed by Surprisingly Simple Programming While controlling the simple joints of a robot in human shape is...
by Ken Chiacchia | Feb 19, 2026 | Anniversary, Science Highlights
An early simulation with PSC’s second supercomputer, the Cray Y-MP, showed that carbon fiber was a plausible replacement for increasingly rare Norway spruce in crafting string instruments. CMU Project in 1988 Used PSC’s Cray Y-MP to Show Violin Top Plates of Carbon...
by Ken Chiacchia | Feb 12, 2026 | Research, Science Highlights
A 3D rendering of the delicate components of a quantum computer. Artificial Intelligence Improves Monte Carlo Simulations of Quantum Dots, Improving Accuracy of Storing and Reading Information Quantum computers promise a giant leap forward in computing power — maybe....
by Ken Chiacchia | Jan 15, 2026 | Anniversary, Science Highlights
“Pop art”: The Pittsburgh-based Alcoa Corporation used the Cray X-MP supercomputer to design the beverage can we know today. Credit: Emily Voelker/PSC 1987 Alcoa Work with PSC Supercomputer Helped Set Stage for Industrial Supercomputing Design Revolution...
