The Birdhuman is a bio-mechanical mecha that was seen in the 5 part Japanese animated OVA series Macross Zero.
Story
One year prior to space war 1, the body of the Birdhuman was discovered by U.N. Spacy off the shores of Mayan Island. Its head had been discovered by Mao Nome, the younger sister of Sara Nome Priestess of Mayan Island, and was later revealed to Shin Kudo (Japanese/American fighter pilot of the U.N.). In the fifth episode of the series, its head and body were joined together, and was piloted by Sara Nome.
Sara Nome, (angered by the war that had made its way to her people's island, and the believed loss of Shin Kudo) used the Birdhuman's arsenal to wipe out all conflicting forces (that she had referred to as "Kadun"). Her rampage finally ceased after the destruction of the Anti-UN ace pilots D.D.Ivanov and Nora Polyansky, when Shin Kudo (the man she loved) revealed himself to her.
In an effort to eliminate the Birdhuman, U.N. Spacy fired 4 nuclear warheads from an HWR-00-MK1 prototype destroid. The shots were repelled by the Birdhuman's forcefield. Afterwards, it warped itself into space along with Shin in his VF-0.
Stats
Despite its massive size, the Birdhuman's only accommodations for a life form is in the cockpit, which is located in its forehead, and was only designed to house one normal human sized creature.
Weapon Systems
All of the Birdhuman's weapon systems are generated from the disk like plates across its wings.
Beam Canon: The Birdhuman's most powerful weapon. By directing all of its plates in a single direction, it creates a massive wave of energy, that will destroy anything in its path.
Plasma Missiles: Large energy balls that are set in constant motion. Each is formed one per plate and is guided by the operator.
Plasma shot: By creating an energy filled hole in zero space, it then opens gaps for the energy to escape from in the direction of the operator's choosing.
Other Systems
Shield Generator: When threatened by a massive attack, the Birdhuman, can project a plasma line bubble around its self, that will absorb the complete force of the blast, rendering it harmless.
Warp Drive: This device, gives it the ability to send itself anywhere in the universe, in almost an instant.
Neuro Interface: The birdhuman is controlled through a direct mental link with its operator. This system can also induce hallucinogenic effects upon its operator.
Trivia
*Several biomechanical alien mecha seen in the new Macross Frontier T.V. series pilot episode had similar "Spiral" markings, weaponry, speed & overall power like that of the Birdhuman.
Story
One year prior to space war 1, the body of the Birdhuman was discovered by U.N. Spacy off the shores of Mayan Island. Its head had been discovered by Mao Nome, the younger sister of Sara Nome Priestess of Mayan Island, and was later revealed to Shin Kudo (Japanese/American fighter pilot of the U.N.). In the fifth episode of the series, its head and body were joined together, and was piloted by Sara Nome.
Sara Nome, (angered by the war that had made its way to her people's island, and the believed loss of Shin Kudo) used the Birdhuman's arsenal to wipe out all conflicting forces (that she had referred to as "Kadun"). Her rampage finally ceased after the destruction of the Anti-UN ace pilots D.D.Ivanov and Nora Polyansky, when Shin Kudo (the man she loved) revealed himself to her.
In an effort to eliminate the Birdhuman, U.N. Spacy fired 4 nuclear warheads from an HWR-00-MK1 prototype destroid. The shots were repelled by the Birdhuman's forcefield. Afterwards, it warped itself into space along with Shin in his VF-0.
Stats
Despite its massive size, the Birdhuman's only accommodations for a life form is in the cockpit, which is located in its forehead, and was only designed to house one normal human sized creature.
Weapon Systems
All of the Birdhuman's weapon systems are generated from the disk like plates across its wings.
Beam Canon: The Birdhuman's most powerful weapon. By directing all of its plates in a single direction, it creates a massive wave of energy, that will destroy anything in its path.
Plasma Missiles: Large energy balls that are set in constant motion. Each is formed one per plate and is guided by the operator.
Plasma shot: By creating an energy filled hole in zero space, it then opens gaps for the energy to escape from in the direction of the operator's choosing.
Other Systems
Shield Generator: When threatened by a massive attack, the Birdhuman, can project a plasma line bubble around its self, that will absorb the complete force of the blast, rendering it harmless.
Warp Drive: This device, gives it the ability to send itself anywhere in the universe, in almost an instant.
Neuro Interface: The birdhuman is controlled through a direct mental link with its operator. This system can also induce hallucinogenic effects upon its operator.
Trivia
*Several biomechanical alien mecha seen in the new Macross Frontier T.V. series pilot episode had similar "Spiral" markings, weaponry, speed & overall power like that of the Birdhuman.
Brief Description
BIG Verdus is one of the three MAGI supercomputers in the anime series "Love's Labour's Lost?!" It is located in the Eastern tower of NERVENET Intl Corp. Inc., and along with Chronoi and NULLOS, is under the direct control of NERVENET Pres. Takahashi and VP VonDragon.
BIG Verdus is an acronym for Biological Intelligence Gatherer Verdus, and its particular specialty is, in its own words, "All matters zoological, biological, and, in your case (referring to the protagonists), illogical." Its large database has information on all Earth life, past and present, showcasing weaknesses and strengths, along with traits and abnormalities. BIG Verdus is clearly proud of this knowledge, and states this fact several times throughout the heroes' confrontation with him.
With its knowledge of all Earth flora and fauna, BIG Verdus has a particular distaste for human life. Citing their lack of predatorial prowess and lack of superior animal defense mechanisms and reflexes, BIG Verdus writes off humanity as "a pitifully weak species, one not fit for this earth..." It cannot comprehend how mankind became Earth's dominant species.
Powers In the Anime
However, it is not until the Heroes Det. Randleman and Joe Capps arrive in BIG Verdus's chamber that its power is fully realized. Much to their horror, they find that BIG Verdus has the ability to create "holotrons" of any animal it so chooses. These are frightenly real, and in particular, the holotronic Tyrannosaurus Rexes are used to destroy Detective Randleman and Capps. BIG Verdus taunts them throughout the fight, and is about to reveal the true plan of the MAGI Supercomputers to heroes as a reward for defeating the holotrons, when VIP VonDragon bursts into the chamber, bent on defending BIG Verdus from the heroes. Fans have often noted that this sudden burst is a rather weak plot device, as it is more than likely that BIG Verdus could have handled itself.
After a harrowing fight, Capps and Randelman kill VonDragon, but BIG Verdus shows that it can even re-animate dead beings with its holotronic power.
Death
As Capps and Det. Randleman fight off an increasing horde of holotronic VonDragons, they desperately look for a weak point or advantage. Using his custom gun, the RandleCannon, Randleman makes a large enough hole in the wall to allow Joe Capps to search for Verdus's power supply. As the VonDragon's converge upon Randleman and all hope seems lost, Joe find the main breaker and essentially "unplugs" BIG Verdus. BIG Verdus notes, realizing the irony that he was defeated by having weak humans attack his weak point, perishes soon afterwards. The holotron army dissipates immediately upon its "death".
Significance in the Series
BIG Verdus, unlike the MAGI Chronoi and NULLOS, each of whom only appear at the show's climax, is a major antagonist throughout the entirety of the series. Truthfully, most of the enemies the six heroes encounter on their quest to stop NERVENET were either thugs hired by VonDragon or holotrons created by BIG Verdus. It is shown actively scheming the heroes' demise, and is responsible for many major plot points throughout, like the destruction of Charles and Joe's hometown. The holotron army guarding the Central NERVENET tower vanishes as well upon BIG Verdus's defeat, making getting to NULLOS significantly easier for the heroes.
BIG Verdus is one of the three MAGI supercomputers in the anime series "Love's Labour's Lost?!" It is located in the Eastern tower of NERVENET Intl Corp. Inc., and along with Chronoi and NULLOS, is under the direct control of NERVENET Pres. Takahashi and VP VonDragon.
BIG Verdus is an acronym for Biological Intelligence Gatherer Verdus, and its particular specialty is, in its own words, "All matters zoological, biological, and, in your case (referring to the protagonists), illogical." Its large database has information on all Earth life, past and present, showcasing weaknesses and strengths, along with traits and abnormalities. BIG Verdus is clearly proud of this knowledge, and states this fact several times throughout the heroes' confrontation with him.
With its knowledge of all Earth flora and fauna, BIG Verdus has a particular distaste for human life. Citing their lack of predatorial prowess and lack of superior animal defense mechanisms and reflexes, BIG Verdus writes off humanity as "a pitifully weak species, one not fit for this earth..." It cannot comprehend how mankind became Earth's dominant species.
Powers In the Anime
However, it is not until the Heroes Det. Randleman and Joe Capps arrive in BIG Verdus's chamber that its power is fully realized. Much to their horror, they find that BIG Verdus has the ability to create "holotrons" of any animal it so chooses. These are frightenly real, and in particular, the holotronic Tyrannosaurus Rexes are used to destroy Detective Randleman and Capps. BIG Verdus taunts them throughout the fight, and is about to reveal the true plan of the MAGI Supercomputers to heroes as a reward for defeating the holotrons, when VIP VonDragon bursts into the chamber, bent on defending BIG Verdus from the heroes. Fans have often noted that this sudden burst is a rather weak plot device, as it is more than likely that BIG Verdus could have handled itself.
After a harrowing fight, Capps and Randelman kill VonDragon, but BIG Verdus shows that it can even re-animate dead beings with its holotronic power.
Death
As Capps and Det. Randleman fight off an increasing horde of holotronic VonDragons, they desperately look for a weak point or advantage. Using his custom gun, the RandleCannon, Randleman makes a large enough hole in the wall to allow Joe Capps to search for Verdus's power supply. As the VonDragon's converge upon Randleman and all hope seems lost, Joe find the main breaker and essentially "unplugs" BIG Verdus. BIG Verdus notes, realizing the irony that he was defeated by having weak humans attack his weak point, perishes soon afterwards. The holotron army dissipates immediately upon its "death".
Significance in the Series
BIG Verdus, unlike the MAGI Chronoi and NULLOS, each of whom only appear at the show's climax, is a major antagonist throughout the entirety of the series. Truthfully, most of the enemies the six heroes encounter on their quest to stop NERVENET were either thugs hired by VonDragon or holotrons created by BIG Verdus. It is shown actively scheming the heroes' demise, and is responsible for many major plot points throughout, like the destruction of Charles and Joe's hometown. The holotron army guarding the Central NERVENET tower vanishes as well upon BIG Verdus's defeat, making getting to NULLOS significantly easier for the heroes.
Naru-tard is a derogatory term applied to otaku fans of the anime title Naruto. It is a word play on the combination of naruto and retard. This term surfaced during early 2004 at the beginning of the anime's popularity in America and characterizes the behavior of Naruto fans as being so blindly devoted to the series (with an almost religious cult-like fervor) that they act incredibly stupid and can be confused with retarded (er, mentally challenged) persons.
This is mostly seen on internet forums and chat services such as IRC, where the Naruto series is a constant source of debate. Many narutards dress as their favorite character during conventions or festivals to display their metal head bands, which are worn by characters in the series as a sign of gang affiliation. One characteristic of a narutard is that they will wear just a head band over their street clothes and tell everyone that they are cosplaying. Serious cosplayers who wear costumes that cost hundreds of dollars in raw materials and took weeks to construct generally consider narutards to be anywhere from merely ignorant to downright insulting.
With the license acquisition of Naruto in early 2005 by ShoPro Entertainment, many narutards spawned numerous forum discussions debating the impact of the deal, from the legality of trafficking amateur subtitled copies of the title (something which should be pretty obvious, especially once American distribution rights had been acquired) to a grass-roots petition begging Cartoon Network and ShoPro / Viz to retain the full integrity of the anime during its adaptation into English. However, as with many Japanese series adapted into English, there are legal and other issues which often make it difficult if not impossible to produce a rendition faithful enough to appease purists.
Most narutards are, unsurprisingly, also purists when it comes to adapting Naruto into English. Allegedly, a few narutards boasted of their intention to engage in physical vandalism, DDoS, and other assaults toward ShoPro and Cartoon Network. Other alleged proposals included a petition and hunger strike camping out in front of these companies' offices.
This is mostly seen on internet forums and chat services such as IRC, where the Naruto series is a constant source of debate. Many narutards dress as their favorite character during conventions or festivals to display their metal head bands, which are worn by characters in the series as a sign of gang affiliation. One characteristic of a narutard is that they will wear just a head band over their street clothes and tell everyone that they are cosplaying. Serious cosplayers who wear costumes that cost hundreds of dollars in raw materials and took weeks to construct generally consider narutards to be anywhere from merely ignorant to downright insulting.
With the license acquisition of Naruto in early 2005 by ShoPro Entertainment, many narutards spawned numerous forum discussions debating the impact of the deal, from the legality of trafficking amateur subtitled copies of the title (something which should be pretty obvious, especially once American distribution rights had been acquired) to a grass-roots petition begging Cartoon Network and ShoPro / Viz to retain the full integrity of the anime during its adaptation into English. However, as with many Japanese series adapted into English, there are legal and other issues which often make it difficult if not impossible to produce a rendition faithful enough to appease purists.
Most narutards are, unsurprisingly, also purists when it comes to adapting Naruto into English. Allegedly, a few narutards boasted of their intention to engage in physical vandalism, DDoS, and other assaults toward ShoPro and Cartoon Network. Other alleged proposals included a petition and hunger strike camping out in front of these companies' offices.
High frequency computing is a class of computer programming applications that relate to the processing of high-volume data streams, usually in real-time or near real-time. In general, its purpose is to enable high-speed decision making in a rapidly changing environment. Examples of high frequency computing include automated trading algorithms, high-speed network monitoring and management applications, and dynamic control systems such as fly-by-wire avionics.
This class combines elements of real-time computing, event stream processing and high performance computing, but is distinct since it assumes that a high-volume data stream is being analyzed in real-time.
Characteristics
High frequency computing usually involves real-time processing on data streams with incoming data rates of 1,000 to 1,000,000 updates per second or higher. At these rates, the number of CPU instruction cycles that are available between arriving updates typically dominate the design decisions. Due to these demands, high frequency computing applications generally share a number of common characteristics. The goal is to optimize the number of CPU cycles spent on tasks related to processing of the next arriving update.
Multi-processor systems
Because of their proximity, a machine with 2 or more CPUs can run more efficiently than an equivalent number of single CPU machines. High frequency computing can take advantage of this efficiency, particularly since one or more of the CPUs can be assigned to handle the data update process, leaving the remaining CPUs to handle the processing related to other tasks such as I/O, analytics, etc. Most high frequency computing application are typically implemented on machines with 2 or more CPUs.
Multiple threads of execution
Modern operating systems can handle multiple execution threads with a high degree of efficiency - particularly when more than one CPU is available on a machine. In fact, an application should have at least one active thread per CPU in order to gain maximum efficiency from the available CPU cycles. In practice, isolating the high frequency data updates from other computing tasks such as analytics via a separate thread can greatly simplify the programming task and can help ensure that at least one or more CPUs are dedicated to serving the incoming data updates.
Limited I/O
In keeping with the goal of optimizing the number CPU instructions between data updates, tasks that cause the CPU to wait, such as I/O to storage devices, network interfaces, etc., are avoided to the extent possible. Where I/O cannot be avoided, care is taken to buffer device I/O, and take other steps such as using multiple threads to innsulate the data update process from any unnecessary waiting. In practice, this usually means data is kept in memory rather than written out to disk-based storage or transactional databases such as Oracle or SQL Server. Because transactional databases are often unable to handle more than a few hundred updates per second without significant tuning and/or advanced hardware, high frequency computing applications often rely on non-transactional storage techniques such as file-based storage.
Buffering
Because of the bursty nature of many sources of real-time data, high frequency computing often uses dynamic buffering techniques, such as expandable circular buffers, to cache data between different processing steps. For instance, one thread may be responsible for updating an internal last-value array, i.e. caching the latest update across an array of values. This thread may be fed by data arriving on a network interface. Typically, the network interface process will cache the incoming data into a storage buffer, from which the data update process will draw the data down. The storage buffer reduces the chance that data will be lost because the data update process is busy when data arrive on the network interface. Careful use and monitoring of buffering is crucial in most high frequency computing applications.
Highly efficient locking
The use of multiple, independent execution threads requires synchronization techniques to avoid problems that can arise when different threads share the same memory space. In general, synchronization techniques can be either fast or slow. Synchronization between different processes is usually much slower than synchronization between different threads running in the same process. Therefore, high frequency computing applications tend to run as a single process, with multiple threads using efficient locking.
High speed analytics
Handling the data updates is one part of the problem. Deciding whether to take action based on the data, and doing so in a timely manner is another. The logic that handles these decisions are called analytics. Typically, the analytics in high-frequency computing must also be very fast. Inefficient analytics can bog down the CPU and eventually cause the data update process to slow down or overflow its buffers. For example, a real-time trading application may scan incoming data, and apply a complicated financial model to determine whether there is a profitable trade available. If the analytics are too slow or complicated, the opportunity may disappear before a decision can be made. Analytics can be optimized via employing intelligent approximations, using separate execution threads and deploying the application on multiple CPU servers.
Fixed-length records
Processing streams of fixed-length records, in general, can be much faster than streams composed of variable length records. This is because variable-length records usually require more complex logic to deserialize the incoming data and reconstruct the complex structures described by the data. In contrast, processing a fixed-length record can be as simple as copying a byte array. For this reason, high frequency computing applications tend to use fixed-length records whenever possible.
Mutable strings
One common performance bottleneck stems from the manipulation of immutable strings. This is because any operation that attempts to modify an immutable string generally requires a memory allocation step. When used inappropriately, immutable strings can seriously degrade system performance. Examples of mutable string structures are the StringBuilder class in , and the StringBuffer and StringBuilder classes in Java.
Examples
Event Stream Processing
Algorithmic Trading
This class combines elements of real-time computing, event stream processing and high performance computing, but is distinct since it assumes that a high-volume data stream is being analyzed in real-time.
Characteristics
High frequency computing usually involves real-time processing on data streams with incoming data rates of 1,000 to 1,000,000 updates per second or higher. At these rates, the number of CPU instruction cycles that are available between arriving updates typically dominate the design decisions. Due to these demands, high frequency computing applications generally share a number of common characteristics. The goal is to optimize the number of CPU cycles spent on tasks related to processing of the next arriving update.
Multi-processor systems
Because of their proximity, a machine with 2 or more CPUs can run more efficiently than an equivalent number of single CPU machines. High frequency computing can take advantage of this efficiency, particularly since one or more of the CPUs can be assigned to handle the data update process, leaving the remaining CPUs to handle the processing related to other tasks such as I/O, analytics, etc. Most high frequency computing application are typically implemented on machines with 2 or more CPUs.
Multiple threads of execution
Modern operating systems can handle multiple execution threads with a high degree of efficiency - particularly when more than one CPU is available on a machine. In fact, an application should have at least one active thread per CPU in order to gain maximum efficiency from the available CPU cycles. In practice, isolating the high frequency data updates from other computing tasks such as analytics via a separate thread can greatly simplify the programming task and can help ensure that at least one or more CPUs are dedicated to serving the incoming data updates.
Limited I/O
In keeping with the goal of optimizing the number CPU instructions between data updates, tasks that cause the CPU to wait, such as I/O to storage devices, network interfaces, etc., are avoided to the extent possible. Where I/O cannot be avoided, care is taken to buffer device I/O, and take other steps such as using multiple threads to innsulate the data update process from any unnecessary waiting. In practice, this usually means data is kept in memory rather than written out to disk-based storage or transactional databases such as Oracle or SQL Server. Because transactional databases are often unable to handle more than a few hundred updates per second without significant tuning and/or advanced hardware, high frequency computing applications often rely on non-transactional storage techniques such as file-based storage.
Buffering
Because of the bursty nature of many sources of real-time data, high frequency computing often uses dynamic buffering techniques, such as expandable circular buffers, to cache data between different processing steps. For instance, one thread may be responsible for updating an internal last-value array, i.e. caching the latest update across an array of values. This thread may be fed by data arriving on a network interface. Typically, the network interface process will cache the incoming data into a storage buffer, from which the data update process will draw the data down. The storage buffer reduces the chance that data will be lost because the data update process is busy when data arrive on the network interface. Careful use and monitoring of buffering is crucial in most high frequency computing applications.
Highly efficient locking
The use of multiple, independent execution threads requires synchronization techniques to avoid problems that can arise when different threads share the same memory space. In general, synchronization techniques can be either fast or slow. Synchronization between different processes is usually much slower than synchronization between different threads running in the same process. Therefore, high frequency computing applications tend to run as a single process, with multiple threads using efficient locking.
High speed analytics
Handling the data updates is one part of the problem. Deciding whether to take action based on the data, and doing so in a timely manner is another. The logic that handles these decisions are called analytics. Typically, the analytics in high-frequency computing must also be very fast. Inefficient analytics can bog down the CPU and eventually cause the data update process to slow down or overflow its buffers. For example, a real-time trading application may scan incoming data, and apply a complicated financial model to determine whether there is a profitable trade available. If the analytics are too slow or complicated, the opportunity may disappear before a decision can be made. Analytics can be optimized via employing intelligent approximations, using separate execution threads and deploying the application on multiple CPU servers.
Fixed-length records
Processing streams of fixed-length records, in general, can be much faster than streams composed of variable length records. This is because variable-length records usually require more complex logic to deserialize the incoming data and reconstruct the complex structures described by the data. In contrast, processing a fixed-length record can be as simple as copying a byte array. For this reason, high frequency computing applications tend to use fixed-length records whenever possible.
Mutable strings
One common performance bottleneck stems from the manipulation of immutable strings. This is because any operation that attempts to modify an immutable string generally requires a memory allocation step. When used inappropriately, immutable strings can seriously degrade system performance. Examples of mutable string structures are the StringBuilder class in , and the StringBuffer and StringBuilder classes in Java.
Examples
Event Stream Processing
Algorithmic Trading