The Mindstorm
The auditorium was packed. Anticipation was filling the room. Chiang, a seasoned Nvidia engineer, leaned forward in the front row. Even with his years of experience, he still felt a bit of excitement when he saw the CEO take the stage. Today was the day he'd been looking forward to for several years. The culmination of research and development, from dozens of teams, was finally being unveiled: The Mindstorm.
"This...," the CEO announced with a pregnant pause, "is not a GPU. This is the gateway to a brand new reality."
Behind him, images flashed across a giant screen: swirling nebulas, complex DNA structures, and human faces that looked like photographs.
The nerdy crowd was blown away when the CEO discussed the technical specifications, which pushed the limits of industry and physics.
"This device, which can fit into a standard PC slot, boasts a groundbreaking 10 exaflops, as fast as supercomputers just a decade ago.
"We include 10 petabytes of high-bandwidth, memory with direct compute, capable of storing entire worlds at the same time for immediate, direct access.
"We are using state-of-the-art neuromorphic design, mimicking what the brain can do, but with digital and analog cores for whatever compute you and your apps need. You have unparalleled efficiency and learning.
"This makes possible things we only could have dreamed of in the past. With just your PC, in your own home, you will be able to generate holographic simulations that are photorealistic: lifelike details and interactivity, all rendering in real-time without a Network connection."
It was these potential applications that truly ignited Chiang's imagination. A petabyte was hard to understand. It could hold all the books in the world, perhaps a lifetime of photos and videos, but that didn't excite anyone. It was only when the CEO continued, speaking of immersive education, revolutionary healthcare, and entirely new forms of art and entertainment that he began to dream.
For him, this was the result of his hard work to bring something new into the world. For his daughter, the ten-year old Amy, was fascinated by the world around her. He considered how this Mindstorm might unlock her full potential, allowing her to explore the universe from her own room, to interact with historical figures, and to safely experience the wonders of nature firsthand.
As the presentation concluded, he knew he had to get his hands on one of the production models.
"Amy, come here!" he called out excitedly as soon as he walked inside his townhouse.
Amy peeked out of her bedroom and saw her father holding a sleek, metallic box.
"What is it Dad?" she asked, carefully creeping downstairs.
"This is the Mindstorm," he answered with pride. "It's the most powerful GPU ever created, and it can do amazing things."
"Like what?" her eyes sparkled to match her father's enthusiasm.
"It can create hyper-realistic holographic simulations," he explained. "Imagine walking through a rainforest, swimming with dolphins, or even walking along the surface of Mars. All of that while staying in your room."
She frowned, losing her excitement. "But I already have a VR headset. Why do I need this?"
"It's different," he chuckled. "It's not a headset, but a whole new world. These simulations are so realistic, you'll feel like you're actually there. You can even interact with objects and characters."
"So I can actually touch things in the simulation?"
"Absolutely."
"That sounds amazing!"
"I know! I got it for you. I thought it might be a fun way to explore and learn together. You know, since Mom is away on her research trip."
Amy nodded. Her mother, a renowned astrophysicist, was currently on a year-long expedition on a space station to study a newly discovered asteroid mineral.
"I think Mom would've loved this," she said softly, with a hint of sadness.
"Me too," Chiang said, squeezing her shoulder. "Come on, let's set it up."
"Alright Mindstorm. Activate," Chiang called out later that afternoon.
He flipped the switch and the power supply began turning it on. The room hummed with energy as it came to life.
"Ready Amy?" he asked.
Amy just nodded.
A dialpad appeared in front of him, entirely made of light. He flicked through the holo-interface and selected the built-in rainforest simulation. The room dissolved around them, replaced by a lush and vibrant jungle.
"Wow!" Amy's eyes went wide with wonder.
Trees towered towards the sky, somehow appearing taller than the bedroom's ceiling. Their leaves filtered sunlight into dappled patterns across the forest floor. Exotic birds could be heard in all directions as colorful butterflies fluttered among the flowers on the ground.
Amy took a quick step forward and saw her bare feet sink into the soft, damp earth. She couldn't feel the humid air nor the fresh earth, but if she suspended her disbelief she could almost imagine these sensations.
"It's so real," she whispered.
"Yeah, like I said the Mindstorm is amazing."
Lily reached out to touch a nearby tree trunk. A butterfly landed on her.
"It's alive!" she gasped.
"Not literally, but it is incredibly detailed. There are a lot of algorithms running in there to create a truly immersive experience.
Amy continued walking forward, exploring the rest of the forest and marveling at its beauty. She saw monkeys swinging through trees, a jaguar resting near a pond, and a group of dolphins swimming in a crystal-clear river.
The Mindstorm's applications could allow Amy to interact with the world in ways that hadn't been possible before. She could pick up fruits, climb trees, even dive underwater without the weight of a scuba suit.
Hours passed by and finally she got hungry and was ready to quit for the day.
"This was the best day of my life," she told her dad as they sat down at the kitchen table.
Chiang smiled, feeling a deep sense of personal pride. That was what he had hoped could happen when he first began working on this project. It would open up a world of possibilities and ignite her passion for exploration and learning.