SciPy 2024

Eric Heiden

Eric is a research scientist at NVIDIA where he develops the open-source Python library Warp. His research interests lie in the intersection of simulation and robotics, particularly differentiable simulators that can be used to reduce the reality gap and control dynamical systems through optimization.
He received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Southern California under the supervision of Prof. Gaurav Sukhatme.

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Sessions

07-10
15:25
30min
Warp: Advancing Simulation AI with Differentiable GPU Computing in Python
Eric Heiden

In this talk we introduce NVIDIA Warp, an open-source Python framework designed for accelerated differentiable computing. Warp enhances Python functions with just-in-time (JIT) compilation, allowing for efficient execution on CPUs and GPUs. The talk’s focus is on Warp’s application in physics simulation, perception, robotics, and geometry processing, along with its capability to integrate with machine-learning frameworks like PyTorch and JAX. Participants will learn the basics of Warp, including its JIT compilation process and the runtime library that supports various spatial computing operations. These concepts will be illustrated with hands-on projects based on research from institutions like MIT and UCLA, providing practical experience in using Warp to address computational challenges. Targeted at academics, researchers, and professionals in computational fields, the course is designed to inspire attendees and equip them with the knowledge and skills to use Warp in their work, enhancing their projects with efficient spatial computing.

Data Science and AI/Machine Learning
Ballroom
07-12
17:45
55min
Accelerated Python (Python on GPU)
Leo Fang, Adam Thompson, Eric Heiden, Jeremy Tanner, Andy Terrel, Katrina Riehl

If you have interest in NumPy, SciPy, Signal Processing, Simulation, DataFrames, or Graph Analysis, we'd love to hear what performance you're seeing and how you're measuring. We've been working to accelerate your favorite packages on GPUs

Birds-of-a-Feather (BoF)
Room 317