Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) announced that PLAYSTATION3 (PS3) computer entertainment systems, part of Stanford University’s Folding@home program, have enabled the distributed computing project to be recognized by Guinness World Records as the most powerful distributed computing network in the world. The record was initially set on Sept. 16, as Folding@home surpassed one petaflop — a computing milestone that has never been reached before by a distributed computing network. In addition to this, the collective efforts of our users have enabled PS3 alone to reach the petaflop mark on Sept. 23.

The record is a testament to the widespread participation of PS3 users from around the world-currently more than 670,000 unique PS3 users have registered to the Folding@home network, bringing the overall computing power of the program to more than a petaflop. Thanks to PS3’s powerful Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/B.E.), scientists will now be able to make greater progress in their studies of protein folding and its link to diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and certain forms of cancer.

“To have Folding@home recognized by Guinness World Records as the most powerful distributed computing network ever is a reflection of the extraordinary worldwide participation by gamers and consumers around the world and for that we are very grateful,” said Vijay Pande, associate professor of chemistry at Stanford University and Folding@home project lead. “Without them we would not be able to make the advancements we have made in our studies of several different diseases. But it is clear that none of this would be even remotely possible without the power of PS3, it has increased our research capabilities by leaps and bounds.”

“To have PS3 play such a large role in allowing Folding@home to be honored by Guinness World Records is truly incredible,” said Masayuki Chatani, executive vice president and chief technology officer for technology platform at Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. “This record is clear evidence of the power of PS3 and the contributions that it is making to the Folding@home network and, more importantly, scientific research.”

The Folding@home program up until recently leveraged only the distributed computing power of personal computers from around the world. The PCs that made up the Folding@home network numbered roughly 200,000, giving the program the equivalent of about one-quarter of a petaflop. On March 15, 2007, PS3 joined the program and since then more than 670,000 unique PS3 users have registered to the Folding@home network, bringing the overall computing power of the program to more than a petaflop.

Starting with Folding@home, SCE will continue to support distributed computing projects in a wide variety of academic fields, such as medical and social sciences and environmental studies, through the use of PS3 and hopes to contribute to the advancement of science.

About Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Recognized as the global leader and company responsible for the progression of consumer-based computer entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) manufacturers, distributes and markets the PlayStation game console, the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, the PSP (PlayStationPortable) handheld entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION3 (PS3) system. PlayStation has revolutionized home entertainment by introducing advanced 3-D graphic processing, and PlayStation 2 further enhances the PlayStation legacy as the core of home networked entertainment. PSP is a new handheld entertainment system that allows users to enjoy 3-D games, with high-quality full-motion video and high-fidelity stereo audio. PS3 is an advanced computer system, incorporating the state-of-the-art Cell processor with super computer like power. SCEI, along with its subsidiary divisions Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd. and Sony Computer Entertainment Korea Inc., develops, publishes, markets and distributes software, and manages the third party licensing programs for these platforms in the respective markets worldwide. Headquartered in Tokyo, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is an independent business unit of the Sony Group.

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Source: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.