Tianhe-3 to offer faster, sharper data processing

China is stepping up research and development of the Tianhe-3 supercomputer, which aims to be 10 times faster than the current world leader, as it strives to meet the country's growing needs for more accurate and efficient computing capabilities.

The Tianhe-3 is designed as the world's first prototype exascale supercomputer, which means it can make a quintillion (1 followed by 18 zeros) calculations per second, and is intended to arm the country's manufacturers and government with greater speed, precision and scope for research.

The supercomputer will be applied in such fields as the analysis of smog distribution, airplane designs, oil surveying and the development of artificial intelligence.