14 Eye-Catching Sights From Nvidia's GPU Technology Conference

Like a Dream ... in 3D

At Nvidia's GPU Technology Conference this week, Nvidia CEO and co-founder Jen-Hsun Huang spoke about the buzz around GPUs, the developer momentum behind CUDA, and the foundation for many of the company's GPU computing solutions on display at GTC.

Nvidia also handed out 3D glasses to developers at the keynote, adding an immersive quality to the first demonstrations.

The Face Of Nvidia

Jen-Hsen Huang's edgy personality, enthusiasm for the possibilities in graphics, and oratorical skill have made him more than just a CEO or a cofounder -- he's the first thing you think of when you hear the name Nvidia.

The New Wave

A shift in the tide of parallel computing has opened the door to a new wave of GPU technology.

To the Sky

Fancy medical imaging for heart surgeons aside, Nvidia's GPUs offer vital visualization capabilities for product simulations, including cool shots of acrobatic fighter jets.

What's Kraken?

Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsen Huang stands before the Amber model Kraken Supercomputer, a powerful tool behind parallel computing.

Keep Accelerating

Simulations of high-speed racing both test and emulate the drive for more speed, as well as more ways to apply that speed, which is essential to GPU technology.

3D Camp Out

Micoy's inflatable cavern, one of the more striking attractions at GTC 2010, contains a 360 degree projection of 3D technology.

The Information Hallway

Nvidia's developers put up banners and boards full of information for conference attendees to see as they moved between sessions totaling 300 hours, detailing just how they planned to use rapid visualization technology. According to Nvidia's Website, 100 CEO/CTO's, researchers from 200+ universities, and about 150 members of the press were in attendance.

See the Light

In case attendees needed a break from the buzzing hallways and detail-filled sessions, San Jose's Convention Center provided just enough empty space and sunlight, without losing that sleek feel to the event.

Simulation Speedway

OK, so it's not as aerodynamic as an actual race car, but Nvidia's virtual simulations of visual experiences are necessary before the driver -- or engineer, or surgeon -- can take the training wheels off.

Before You Check that Roadmap...

The biggest news from Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsen Huang's keynote may very well have been the glimpse into Nvidia's architectural roadmap for the future -- featuring Kepler and Maxwell and whole lot of speed.

Until then, developers will have to be patient and see what they can do with Quadro and Tegra, Nvidia's current designs for GPU visualization technology.

Still think it's Just a Game?

Well yes, technically, Nvidia's GeForce chips specialize in gaming technology, although you can test both the quality of display and the speed of visualization by playing a game running GeForce. Besides, with the quality of some of these simulations, it's increasingly difficult to tell what's real from what's just a game.

Build It And They Will Come

Nvidia went from one OEM at last year's conference, to nine this year. Last year, they couldn’t have filled this space, a Nvidia spokesperson told CRN. Chalk this growth up to mounting interest in GPU capabilities -- and the end of Moore's Law for computer technology.

Need a Vacation?

NextIO vCore C200 allows you to add Tesla GPUs to servers as required, "on demand" if you will, since there's different kinds of comfort for different people. And nowadays, there are different GPU performance/power consumption levels for different workloads.