ACADEMIA

Adaptive Computing announced The All Spark Cube, a 16x16x16 full color LED Cube, which was designed to demonstrate its Cloud and HPC workload management software. The Cube debuted at VMWorld in San Francisco last month and will be on display at the Mini Maker Faire in Library Square, Salt Lake City on October 6th.

The All Spark Cube, named in honor of the device that provides life-giving force to the “Transformers” (a 2007 Live Action Film), is a large scale, full color LED Cube -- essentially a 3-dimensional display monitor. It contains 4,096 LEDs organized into a 2” wide grid. It took over 1500 volunteer man-hours to design, build, and test the All Spark Cube. Over 3000 feet of buss wire and 17,000 solder connections interconnect the LEDs in a 3D matrix, and 16 custom designed circuit boards control visual effects from inside a custom cabinet. The entire structure is almost 4 feet square and 6 feet tall with a clear acrylic protective box over the LEDs.

“Adaptive Computing needed a way to demonstrate its software products and drive traffic to our trade show booth at events. In its debut appearance at VMworld, the IT industries’ top minds were mesmerized by its unique effects,” comments Jill King, Adaptive Computing’s director of marketing communications. She continues, “People wanted their picture taken with the cube. I heard comments that this was the best display on the show floor. It exceeded our expectations.”

The All Spark Cube was created by a group of engineers and IT Specialists from Adaptive Computing. The team consisting of:

• Kevin Yackley, Lead Designer and Developer - Entrepreneur and Friend of Adaptive Computing
• Ian Nate, Cube Construction and Scene Designer - Community Marketing Manager at Adaptive Computing
• Spencer Owen, Software Developer – Tech Support Manager of Adaptive Computing
• Thomas Bennett, Cube Constructions and Website – IT Specialist at Adaptive Computing
• Kevin King, Solderer and Debugger – High School Student and Friend of Adaptive Computing