The PlayStation 3's beefy Cell processor is being used in new supercomputing research projects by the University of Massachusetts and the US Air Force.

Using a cluster of sixteen stock PlayStation 3s partially donated by Sony, researchers at the University of Massachusetts physics department are employing the Cell processor to research the possible effects on space and time after two black holes merge.

Developed by Toshiba, IBM and Sony, the Cell processor was designed with collaborative computing in mind, with many possible applications using multiple Cell processors in tandem.

Referred to as the "PlayStation 3 Gravity Grid," researchers suggest that the cluster of PlayStation 3s may actually offer a higher computing performance to dollar ratio than any other commercial product available on the market.

Moreover, Hushed Casket is reporting that the US Air Force ... Read more