Ageia's Physics Engine to feature in PS3

[Steve]

After much talk of Ageia's physics processing unit and physics API, Sony has said that the physics engine will make an apperance in the new Playstation. From Tom's Hardware:

According to an announcement made on Thursday, Sony entered a "strategic licensing agreement" with Ageia, and fabless chip developer that developed the "PhysX" SDK. PhysX is a physics chip that is designed to aid the graphics processor in darwing realistic graphics on a screen. According to its developer, the device can simulate thousands of interacting fragments, which could create a greater illusion of reality. The behavior of 40,000 to 50,000 particles can be simulated per screen allowing the display of disintegrating walls, gelatinous characters, windswept hair, loose flowing clothing, or realistic display of damage in car racing games.

ps32 The license agreement includes Ageia's PhysX SDK that previously has been adopted for example for the Unreal Engine 3 by Epic Games. According to Ageia, the PhysX chip is multithreading capable and therefore a nice fit for the PS3's multi-core Cell processor.

Rapid adoption of PhysX will no doubt please Ageia, and if it works well on the PS3, will probably have us PC users scrambling to get hold of PPU add-in cards when they become available.

[Spunkey]

woooohooooo! being the hardcore simracer that i am i was praying for the PPU to be taken into the mainstream, being part of the PS3 is a good kickstart.
Although part of me is still saying 'emotion engine'