What can you do with 1,760 Sony PS3s?

The answer is build the fastest interactive computer in the US Defense Department and use it for quick processing of ultra-high-resolution satellite imagery, as well as research into artificial intelligence, radar enhancement and pattern recognition ( ... defense department discusses). The PS3 cluster is about the 33rd largest computer in the world. Interestingly, the staff at the US Air Force Research Laboratory reckon that this huge computer power cost is about 5-10% of the cost of an equivalent system built with off-the-shelf computer parts. Another advantage of the PS3-based supercomputer is its energy efficiency: it consumes just 10% of the power of comparable supercomputers. They must be pretty good at Gran Turismo by now.