A 16-GPU cluster supporting AI, hyperspectral imaging, and optics research at UPRM

This project aims to enhance research capabilities in artificial intelligence, hyperspectral imaging, and optics at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez through the acquisition and commissioning of a high-end GPU cluster. The cluster will help UPRM compete in use-inspired AI projects involving climate-change research, remote sensing, natural-language processing for medical informatics, the Internet of Things, and data analytics. Research will be complemented by training activities that strengthen innovation, workforce development, and research collaboration.

Meaningful research in AI, whether foundational or use-inspired, requires access to hardware accelerators such as GPUs, TPUs, and FPGAs. This is particularly true for Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), and Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL), where model size and training demands make CPU-only systems impractical.

Edge devices such as cameras, sensors, and robots are also automating image-data acquisition at vast rates. Keeping pace requires data-streaming systems that can fuse and filter data, apply machine-learning operations, and deliver results to visualization dashboards with minimal delay.