PhysX - Science, Education, and Professional markets?

SockMan!

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So far, all I've heard about Ageia's PhysX card is in regards to gaming. But, I'm wondering if the hardware could potentially be put to use in the scientific or professional fields?

Undoubtably, organizations with a lot of funding have their own solutions to handle physics. However, if someone wanted to do physics research/education in their home basement with relatively little money, could PhysX fit the bill?

Or perhaps the person wanted to do 3d animation? After all, we have professional video cards catering to people that do 3d work for a living so why not hardware physics cards?

Ideas? Criticisms?
 
It does make a lot of sense doesn't it? However, Ageia seems to just be marketing this for gaming use. I'm curious to know why they're not pursuing professional fields. Or maybe they are and we're just not hearing about it?
 
I would assume so, professional marketing seems to be alot more subtle, I mean, you don't really hear about firegl's and quadros. Also, there is a lack of software (that I know of) which kind of prevents any professional use for the time being.
 
SockMan! said:
Undoubtably, organizations with a lot of funding have their own solutions to handle physics. However, if someone wanted to do physics research/education in their home basement with relatively little money, could PhysX fit the bill?
Ageia's physics engine is NOT anywhere close to being even remotely suitable for scientific research. The hardware might be useful, but a completely different physics engine would have to be written. Their engine uses too many approximations to optimize it for speed because in the gaming world you don't need to be that accurate.
 
I should've been more specific - I meant only the PhysX hardware. I understand that the software they've provided is optimized for gaming and probably unsuitable for science.
 
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