• Question: What type of technology do you use at the moment for work? Does your work supply you with an expensive, high quality computer or do you use your normal everyday computer/laptop?

    Asked by Tree to Sheila, Piyush, Natalia, Gary, Dimitar on 6 Nov 2018.
    • Photo: Natalia

      Natalia answered on 6 Nov 2018: last edited 6 Nov 2018 12:08 pm

      I use computer programs that help me with different tasks such as calculations, pattern extraction from data and writing. My work supplies me with a high-quality computer.

    • Photo: Dimitar Shterionov

      Dimitar Shterionov answered on 6 Nov 2018:

      Hi.

      In order to do my work I need to train very large and complex models, that consume a lot of power. To make things faster I use graphical processing units (GPUs – these are like the chips in any computer that allow anything to be displayed on the screen, but much more powerful). However, these GPUs don’t fit on a laptop and consume a lot of electricity. For these and for many other reasons we have a separate central computer with GPUs where I and my colleagues can train our systems. But in order to access this computer we need another one. For this I use a small laptop that I can carry with me all the time.

      And yes, our work supplies me and my colleagues with all this technology.

    • Photo: Gary Munnelly

      Gary Munnelly answered on 6 Nov 2018:

      Most of my research is done on a fairly powerful desktop machine (at least, it was a beast in 2013. It’s a little old now).

      If I need access to something more powerful, the I have access to a computing cluster like the one Dimitar described.

      I also have a laptop for when I’m on the move đŸ™‚

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