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Mercury Computer Systems to Showcase Live Demonstrations of Performance Breakthroughs on the Cell BE Processor at Supercomputing 2006

Posted on: Thursday, 9 November 2006, 09:00 CST

CHELMSFORD, Mass., Nov. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. announced that it will demonstrate live applications ported to the Cell Broadband Engine(TM) (BE) processor in Booth #1135 at Supercomputing 2006, November 11 - 17, in Tampa Florida. Demonstrations will feature Mercury Cell BE processor-based hardware and the Mercury MultiCore Plus(TM) SDK (Software Development Kit), its complete, intuitive programming environment optimized for products based on the Cell BE and other multicore processors.

"Mercury's MultiCore Plus SDK offers programmers a practical approach for achieving high performance on the Cell BE processor," said Jack Dongarra, University Distinguished Professor and Director, Innovative Computing Laboratory, University of Tennessee. Combining a powerful set of software tools and libraries into a seamless package, the MultiCore Plus SDK enables users to maximize resources and application performance by taking full advantage of the multicore processor's computation model.

A diverse range of organizations, including the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, have purchased Cell BE processor-based hardware, software, and/or optimization services. Mercury customers and partners are leveraging the performance capabilities of the Cell BE processor to solve various specialized application challenges in seismic computation, video processing, semiconductor inspection, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), molecular modeling in biotech, and ray tracing. Some of these applications will be demonstrated at Supercomputing 2006.

Mercury is participating in a joint collaboration with the Software Integration and Visualization Office (SIVO) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center to develop a DICE (Data Intensive Computing Environment) project. DICE provides a realistic, high-performance computing environment where computer, storage, and network vendors can test new products and solutions for high-end data management issues. A Mercury Cell BE processor-based workstation will be installed at Goddard to perform application porting and performance and remote visualization tests to evaluate Cell Technology for applicability to NASA applications. Remote visualization capabilities will be demonstrated in the DICE/AVETeC booth at Supercomputing 2006.

"DICE is a new approach to solutions for the High Performance Computing community," said Roger Panton, DICE Executive Director. "The ultimate goal is to improve the time-to-solution of complex engineering and scientific problems. It is a discreet environment, where we learn and share in each project's successes."

Mercury is actively driving understanding and adoption of the Cell BE processor through deep engagements with customers and industry organizations. To date, Mercury technology leaders have presented on the programmability and performance of the Cell BE processor in diverse applications in more than 20 different technical forums across the globe.

"More and more customers in a range of markets are discovering that the Cell BE processor can truly offer tremendous opportunity for breakthrough application performance," said Craig Lund, Chief Technology Officer at Mercury Computer Systems. "Mercury has the tools and know-how to enable customers to reach that next level and beyond."

The Company will also run demonstrations of the latest release of amira(R) powered by ScaleViz(TM), its advanced 3D visualization software used in more than 1,000 installations worldwide for very large volume 3D datasets in medicine, geosciences, life sciences, and engineering applications. Mercury's amira 3D visualization software is a powerful, multifaceted tool for integrating, manipulating, and visualizing large-volume data sets. Based on Version 6.0 of Open Inventor(TM) by Mercury Computer Systems, the volume-rendering techniques provided in amira allow interactive, high-quality, lighted-volume rendering; slicing with embossing effects; and iso-surface extraction. With abundant state-of-the-art features, amira offers workflow improvements in an extensible architecture with an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI).

For more information on Mercury's Cell BE processor-based offerings and amira 3D visualization software, visit Mercury in Booth #1135 at Supercomputing 2006; visit http://www.mc.com/cell or http://www.mc.com/amira; or contact Mercury at (866) 627-6951.

Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. - Where Challenges Drive Innovation

Mercury Computer Systems is the leading provider of computing systems and software for data-intensive applications that include image processing, signal processing, and visualization. With a strong commitment to innovation, our expertise in algorithm optimization, systems development, and silicon design is blended with software application knowledge and industry-standard technologies to solve unique computing challenges. We work closely with our customers to architect solutions that have a meaningful impact on everyday life: detecting aneurysms; designing safer, more fuel-efficient aircraft; identifying security threats; discovering oil; developing new drugs; and visualizing virtually every aspect of scientific investigation.

Mercury's comprehensive, purpose-built solutions capture, process, and present data for the world's largest medical imaging companies, 8 of the 10 top defense prime contractors, and other leading Fortune 500 and mid-market companies in semiconductor, energy, telecommunications, and other industries. Our dedication to performance excellence and collaborative innovation continues a 23-year history in enabling customers to stay at the forefront of the markets they serve.

Mercury is based in Chelmsford, Massachusetts and serves customers worldwide through a broad network of direct sales offices, subsidiaries, and distributors. We are listed on the Nasdaq National Market . Visit Mercury at http://www.mc.com/.

Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including those relating to Mercury Cell BE processor-based products and the Mercury amira products based on Open Inventor Version 6.0 by Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. You can identify these statements by our use of the words "may,""will,""should,""plans,""expects,""anticipates,""continue,""estimate,""project,""intend," and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic and business conditions, including unforeseen weakness in the Company's markets, effects of continued geo-political unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in completing engineering and manufacturing programs, changes in customer order patterns, changes in product mix, continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations, continued funding of defense programs, the timing of such funding, changes in the U.S. Government's interpretation of federal procurement rules and regulations, market acceptance of the Company's products, shortages in components, production delays due to performance quality issues with outsourced components, inability to fully realize the expected benefits from acquisitions or delays in realizing such benefits, challenges in integrating acquired businesses and achieving anticipated synergies, and difficulties in retaining key customers. These risks and uncertainties also include such additional risk factors as are discussed in the Company's recent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2006. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made.

Contacts: Kathy Sniezek, Public Relations Manager Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. 978-967-1126 / ksniezek@mc.com Leigh McLeod, Media Relations Specialist Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. 978-967-1120 / lmcleod@mc.com Stephanie Casey Greenough Communications 617-275-6512 / scasey@greenoughcom.com

Cell Broadband Engine is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. MultiCore Plus is a trademark of Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. amira is a registered trademark of Konrad-Zuse-Zentrum fur Informationstechnik Berlin (ZIB). Open Inventor is a trademark of Silicon Graphics, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries worldwide, used under license from Silicon Graphics, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060103/MERCURYCSLOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk photodesk@prnewswire.com

Mercury Computer Systems, Inc.

CONTACT: Kathy Sniezek, Public Relations Manager, +1-978-967-1126,ksniezek@mc.com, or Leigh McLeod, Media Relations Specialist, +1-978-967-1120,lmcleod@mc.com, both of Mercury Computer Systems, Inc.; or Stephanie Casey ofGreenough Communications, +1-617-275-6512, scasey@greenoughcom.com

Web site: http://www.mc.com/

Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall

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