Scientists in Europe are utilizing powerful computer systems to simulate the human brain's complex structure and function.
The Human Brain Project (HBP), a ten-year European neuroscience research initiative, is making significant strides in brain simulation research. A key component of this project is the use of interactive computer simulations to model brain activity.
In the quest to advance these simulations, Cray, now part of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, has developed the Human Brain Project Pilot System. This experimental platform for neuromorphic computing and brain simulation showcases several innovative technologies designed to improve efficiency and performance in large-scale brain simulations.
One of the key innovations is the use of hybrid memory systems. These systems combine traditional DRAM with emerging non-volatile memory technologies, better mimicking neural memory retention. Additionally, manycore processors optimized for parallelism and low power are employed to support large-scale brain simulation workloads.
The system also utilizes specialized processor architectures tailored for spiking neural networks and real-time neural modeling. Furthermore, high bandwidth, low latency interconnects are integrated to emulate brain connectivity and support massive parallel computation across processor nodes.
Cray's DataWarp storage technology supports both private and shared use cases in the HBP. In the private use case, it provides local high-bandwidth communication between simulation and analytics applications. In the shared use case, a pool of flash-based storage servers offers a high-bandwidth filesystem for communication between large simulations and visualization jobs.
An advance reservation system or a scheduler that suspends running jobs to memory or fast swap space on a Cray DataWarp filesystem is being developed for the HBP. This system will manage the computer system for the HBP much like large experimental equipment, with users booking time slots for experiments.
The HBP pilot system will also feature a pool of GPU nodes dedicated to fast data transfer between applications. This is crucial as many HPC workflows communicate through filesystems, especially for large data transfers between distinct applications.
The HBP work includes the ability to steer simulations as they run, allowing scientists to perform quick "what if" studies with the results of one run steering the next. This interactive approach enables users to select the most interesting data for analysis and visualization.
Memory capacity remains a limiting factor in brain simulations for the HBP, with current data sets requiring tens of petabytes of main memory. The HBP pilot system will preview various memory and processor technologies as both approaches are being evaluated as part of the project.
Cray was awarded a contract for the third and final phase of a Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) to deliver a pilot system for the HBP. This pilot system is a significant step forward in the HBP's mission to understand and simulate the complexities of the human brain.
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