The month of May was another busy one at IBM with a flurry of announcements in hardware, software, services, acquisitions, and strategic alliances. See the list here and an index for prior months here. A major focus area in addition to a "smarter planet" is an effort using IBM's World Community Grid "virtual supercomputer" -- consisting of the spare computing power of more than a million personal computers around the world -- to allow laboratory tests on drug candidates for drug-resistant influenza strains and new strains, such as H1N1.
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch will use the World Community Grid to identify the chemical compounds most likely to stop the spread of the influenza viruses and begin testing these under laboratory conditions. The computational work adds up to thousands of years of computer time which will be compressed into just months using the vast computing grid. As many as 10% of the drug candidates identified by calculations on the grid will hopefully show antiviral activity in the laboratory and move to clinical testing.
Influenza claims the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world each year and the current H1N1 virus outbreak is a reminder of how quickly influenza mutates and how easily new strains of the virus emerge. Traditional methods of flu vaccine development can not keep up with the high rate at which viruses change. The World Community Grid can run virtual chemistry experiments to determine which of the millions of small molecules can attach to the influenza virus and inhibit it from spreading. There is the potential to make the world a better place because of this project.
If you want to donate unused computer time to the World Community Grid, take a look at worldcommunitygrid.org.
Other IBM Happenings for the month
IBM acquires Exeros assets
Exeros' technology uncovers hidden relationships between databases, helping
users make sense of disparate data sources much faster than otherwise possible.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27215.wss
IBM helps organizations design and deliver smarter products
IBM announced a new software platform and related services to help product
manufacturers and designers create innovative products that help people work
and live smarter.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27449.wss
IBM builds on business process transformation leadership
IBM is expanding on the technologies gained through the ILOG acquisition,
while also updating its existing business process management suite of products.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27408.wss
IBM launches effort to find flu drug treatments
IBM's World Community Grid will be used for laboratory tests on drug
candidates for drug-resistant influenza strains and new strains, such as
H1N1, in less than a month.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27425.wss
IBM helps build a smart taxation service system
The TISIR project is expected to deliver significant cost savings through
improvements in taxation processes, service delivery and by building
a more cost-efficient data center.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27461.wss
IBM ushers in stream computing era
IBM announced the availability of its unique “stream computing” software that enables
massive amounts of data to be analyzed in real time, delivering extremely fast, accurate
insights to enable smarter business decision-making.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27508.wss
IBM establishes healthcare centre in France
The Global Healthcare Centre of Excellence located in La Gaude, France will help
healthcare clients design and create solutions that enable smarter individual health
and wellness.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27509.wss
IBM announces beta release of Lotus Notes 8.5.1 with iPhone support
IBM today announced the beta release of Lotus Notes and Domino 8.5.1, including
plans to support Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync in version 8.5.1 of Lotus Notes
Traveler.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27493.wss
IBM helps Slovenia build smart insurance system
The Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia will roll out a new electronic health
insurance card system based on IBM technology across the country.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27510.wss
IBM, Intuit help businesses work smarter
The IBM and Intuit agreement combines IBM's Smart Business solution with Intuit's
QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions financial management software.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27543.wss
IBM and FXA Group to help improve food safety
IBM and FXA Group announced a first of a kind collaboration that will accelerate
the adoption of traceability solutions to improve global food safety in Vietnam.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27541.wss
IBM, Russian Railways optimize rail operations
Russian Railways is working with IBM to help optimize its IT infrastructure and is using
new technologies to improve its freight and passenger management system.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27563.wss
IBM, Ferrosan sign seven-year outsourcing contract
Ferrosan A/S, an international consumer and healthcare company based
in Denmark, announced a seven-year agreement for IBM to manage Ferrosan's
IT infrastructure.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27559.wss
IBM and Salerno cooperate to develop a smarter city
Salerno is the third Italian city to create an Innovation Board with IBM
to identify and design a new model for a sustainable city through a range
of digital solutions.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27557.wss
IBM outlines new model for healthcare
IBM announced the findings of a major healthcare study that underscores
the critical need for a new model of care called the Patient Centered
Medical Home.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27607.wss
IBM launches Vietnam innovation center
The IBM Innovation Center in Vietnam will help local communities support
demand for digital infrastructure projects in banking, telecommunications,
energy and government industries.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27592.wss
IBM Global Financing helps accelerate infrastructure initiatives
IBM is making up to $3 billion available to finance IT initiatives in key economic
stimulus projects in Europe and Asia-Pacific through IBM Global Financing.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27589.wss
U.S. Lumber improves business performance with IBM
IBM has provided U.S. Lumber Group with a business intelligence solution that
is providing the company with in-depth reporting capabilities in real time.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27591.wss
UNC Health Care, IBM speed treatment development
IBM has teamed with University of North Carolina Health Care to speed the
development of new treatments for diseases such as diabetes, cystic fibrosis
and cancer.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27602.wss
Complete index of IBM Happenings