On July 18, President of Zhejiang Lab ZHU Shiqiang delivered a keynote speech titled Intelligent Computing Boosts Industries at the intelligent computing industrial chain workshop, part of Zhejiang's "ten industrial chains for enterprises" series. In his speech, Mr. ZHU shared case studies to introduce the development and industrial status of intelligent computing and ZJ Lab's plans for the development of the intelligent computing industry.

He said that computing technology is part of our life, and is applied to various industries without being noticed. For instance, an electric cooker uses computing technology to sense and control temperature. A smart car allows auto pilot through integrated computing by its sensors including millimeter wave radar, ultrasonic radar, cameras and GPS. Computing technology gives the mobile phone multiple functions such as telecommunication, face recognition and audio recognition, help in weather report that we read every day.  

In recent years, numerical calculation, fuzzy computing, bio-computing, brain-like computing, supercomputing, cloud computing, fog computing and edge computing technologies are continuously improved and applied to more fields. In the   context of emerging computing concepts, ZJ Lab proposes the ZJ Definition of Intelligent Computing, i.e. any of the new computing theories and methodology, structures and technical capacities that support IOT in the era of digital   civilization.

"We believe that intelligent computing is a process during which the optimal tool of computing and the optimal algorithm are applied to specific issues," said Mr. ZHU,“the four core factors of computing are the issue, the tool, the methodology, and the result.”

He added that on this basis, the computing industry is something that realizes the values of products produced by combining the four factors throughout the process of information flow. Corresponding to the four core factors, four products are tool, methodology, capability, and result.

Mr. ZHU explained that typical tool products include sensors, chips, computers and servers; methodology products include AI open source platforms and field-specific modeling and emulation platforms; capability products with both tool and methodology features include public algorithm platforms for industries as well as information query, statistics and analysis platforms serving the public; while result products include map and navigation systems and AI image reading systems, which are also tools and methodologies, and produce results.

He stressed that the computing industry tends to be intelligent, ubiquitous, and publicly applicable. Computing is more and more senseless and user friendly, and sees great industrial potential. ZJ Lab has planned ten research project portfolios targeting at its intelligent computing strategy. It has built the intelligent computing data reactor to shape its unique intelligent computing system strength in theory system, hardware system, software system, standards and norms, and important application. 

To support the data reactor, the Lab is developing its E-level new intelligent super computer, high-capacity, high-efficiency P-level isomeric intelligent computing cluster, and computing infrastructures such as the 10 billion-level brain-like computer and field-specific computer.

To effectively apply its computing strength, the Lab has developed the data reactor operation system which, through key engines such as AI algorithm, big data computing, scientific computing base and simulation and deducing, allocates isomeric computing resources to practical computing tasks, so as to achieve expected targets.   

ZJ Lab has launched a number of important "intelligent computing +" research programs targeting at astronomy, breeding, materials, pharmacy and gene, and has reported positive progress. Its computing astronomy achievements have been published in Science, Nature and other international journals. Its intelligent computing-based super large electronic medical record knowledge   map is playing an important role in the fields of life and health. Its intelligent computing data reactor opens a new chapter of intelligence research, and will provide new methodology, new tools and new measures for scientific research, social governance and digital economic development.

Mr. ZHU forecasted that intelligent computing will be applied to wider areas and tap greater   industrial potential. ZJ Lab will be committed to supporting Zhejiang to build an intelligent computing highland.