A supercomputer. Credit: Shutterstock, Regissercom
Greece is entering the supercomputing race with the launch of its state-of-the-art Daedalus.
The €41 million project, awarded to HP Hellas after an international tender, is being led by the Ministry of Digital Governance. The contract is to be signed today, March 26, marking the official start of development, as reported by Ekathimerini.
The supercomputer will be located in Lavrio’s Technological and Cultural Park, housed in the “former electric station building”. The Future Media notes that this location “represents not just a technological triumph but a marriage of heritage and innovation.”
Daedalus supercomputer: Unmatched power and eco-conscious design
Notably, in Greek mythology, Daedalus was a craftsman and artist, who had two sons: Icarus and Iapyx. Daedalus was known as the creator of the Labyrinth, a huge maze located under the court of King Minos of Crete, where the Minotaur, a half-man half-bull creature dwelt.
In terms of a supercomputer, Daedalus is designed to deliver cutting-edge performance, exceeding “60 Petaflops,” making it one of the world’s fastest systems. “Daedalus not only outpaces its predecessor ARIS but also ranks among the world’s top 30 supercomputers,” according to The Future Media, citing TOP500 and GREEN500 listings.
The machine will also be environmentally conscious. As the same report adds, it includes “renewable energy systems to keep operations sustainable and minimise environmental impact.”
Europe’s AI and data innovation
Greece is among seven EU countries selected to host AI research centres known as AI Factories. Ekathimerini confirms that “Finland, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Spain, and Luxembourg are all to host dedicated AI research facilities.”
Greece’s centre, named Pharos, will be powered by Daedalus and has an allocated budget of €30 million.
Once operational, Daedalus will be capable of “performing billions of mathematical calculations per second, delivering computational power equivalent to one million conventional computers running simultaneously,” Ekathimerini reports.
This project will significantly boost Europe’s technological capabilities. Ekathimerini notes that “collectively, the seven AI research centres are expected to more than double the EU’s data processing capacity by 2026.”
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