Graphics processing units (GPUs) are now becoming instrumental in transforming key industries in the Middle East, says an expert.

Jen-Hsun Huang, co-founder, president and CEO of  leading technology company NVIDIA, said GPUs are poised to unlock groundbreaking capabilities in areas such as oil and gas exploration, health, finance, digital content creation, and even climate change research.

During a talk at the American University in Dubai (AUD) Huang discussed his vision for the future of computing, saying GPU technology has evolved beyond the realm of graphics and now touches mainstream applications, establishing new norms in the way people work and interact with each other.

“While its products are best known among video gamers who depend on NVIDIA to power their favourite entertainment and gaming systems, the company has realigned its direction to focus on new ways of using graphics processors to revolutionise scientific and commercial computing.

“GPU technology is now being used to develop advanced techniques to simulate real-world environments much faster and in greater detail. This has benefited scientists and researchers working in areas that are more relevant to the greater society such as oil and gas exploration, breast cancer detection, climate modelling and cloud computing to name a few.

“GPUs are also redefining the way we view computing; the development of NVIDIA Tegra for instance is making it possible for smartphones, automobiles, internet TVs and other mobile devices to be equipped with notebook computer functionality without sacrificing power efficiency,” said Huang.

Huang's visit to Dubai is aimed at forging closer relationships with academic institutions in the Middle East, extending NVIDIA’s university partnership programme in the region. Huang also took the opportunity to shed light on NVIDIA’s range of initiatives aimed at advancing visual, parallel and mobile computing.

In view of this, he invited PhD-level students in computer architecture, computer science, electrical engineering, high-performance computing, scientific computing and other related areas to participate in the ninth annual NVIDIA Fellowship Programme, which will award a $25,000 fund to research projects that have great potential to make significant advances in graphics and high-performance computing industries.

“The Middle East represents a new frontier in our long-term growth as environmental and industrial challenges in the region can greatly benefit from NVIDIA's computing technology. There are increasing requirements for high-performance IT solutions in the Middle East and NVIDIA aims to meet this demand by offering our latest product innovations and collaborating with developers to address the critical challenges of the region,” Huang said.

A recipient of numerous international technology and entrepreneurial awards, Huang co-founded NVIDIA in 1993.- TradeArabia News Service