I’ve Heard of Mobile Computing, But This Is Ridiculous
The PETaflop Carrier is a 25lb, cat carrier-housed mobile Kubernetes cluster that uses its petaflop of compute to turn you into a cartoon.
What do you get when you mash together all the hottest tech trends, then toss a cat in the mix for added cuteness? You get Justin Garrison’s PETaflop Carrier, a mobile Kubernetes cluster housed inside a pet carrier backpack. This 25-pound computer cluster combines containerization, AI, and portable computing into one package that is completely impractical, but checks all of the boxes for someone that wants to show off lots of trendy tech at a conference.
The project’s name is more than just a pun; the NVIDIA DGX Spark stored in the backpack is a Grace Blackwell AI supercomputer that delivers a petaflop of compute power. Powerful as it may be, one computer alone does not make a cluster. To earn that designation, Garrison also included a LattePanda x86 single-board computer. The biggest, and heaviest, part of this 25-pound build is a 60,000mAh battery station that provides for just three hours of runtime.
To show off the real purpose of the backpack, Garrison included a small monitor that can show system stats, or whatever else he wants, through a transparent barrier. There is also an LED matrix of blinkenlights in case the monitor doesn’t capture enough attention on its own.
A QR code is displayed on the backpack, and scanning it takes a person to a locally-hosted web page where their picture is taken. That image is transferred to the NVIDIA DGX Spark, where an AI model is instructed to turn them into a cartoon character. The stylized result is then shown to them on the same web page.
The pet carrier case was more than just a convenience. It has holes distributed throughout to keep fresh air flowing for pets. With the addition of some fans, these holes make for a great cooling solution.
The hardware was installed on a 3D-printed frame that looks like it is ready to melt, or otherwise collapse, at any moment. Components are attached to the frame with Velcro. It may be barely holding together, but Garrison only used it for one conference before disassembling it, so it was good enough.
Garrison’s build is definitely a conversation starter, but is obviously impractical for real-world use. If you have real work to do, leave it plugged in at home and just bring your cat in the carrier.