NEC Corporation has unveiled the launch of FireDucks, a free software program aimed at accelerating data analysis using the Python pandas library. Python is the most widely used programming language today, making this initiative crucial for data scientists who rely on pandas for their analysis. By significantly reducing the data preparation time required for analysis, FireDucks can contribute to shorter analysis durations and reduced computing costs.
The beta version of FireDucks is now available online for free, providing an opportunity for users to experience its benefits firsthand. With the exponential increase in data collection, particularly in areas like sales, e-commerce, and financial transactions, data scientists face the challenge of preprocessing large datasets before analysis. On average, approximately 45% of a data scientist’s time is spent on data preparation, creating a need for faster and more efficient solutions.
NEC developed FireDucks to address this problem and accelerate the pandas library. Leveraging their extensive expertise in programming technology and acceleration gained from developing supercomputers over three decades, NEC aimed to create a software program that enhances performance. FireDucks can achieve up to 16 times faster data processing and reduce data analysis time by approximately 30%.
FireDucks boasts two key features: accelerated performance and high compatibility with pandas. With the ability to utilize all cores of a multi-core CPU and process large datasets in parallel, FireDucks maximizes computing power. Additionally, the software identifies the necessary data sets for generating results in advance, enabling efficient processing.
Moreover, FireDucks stands out for its high compatibility with pandas. While other libraries may offer faster processing speeds, they often require complex rewriting of the program. FireDucks only requires rewriting a single line of code, making it a user-friendly solution.
Toyota Technical Development Corporation (TTDC) has already reaped the benefits of FireDucks during its operations. The use of FireDucks led to a 60% reduction in data analysis time using TTDC’s in-house AI framework, Spicy MINT, and a 76% decrease in the operating time of the analysis PC.
By providing the beta version of FireDucks free of charge, NEC aims to assist data scientists in reducing their workload and resolving environmental issues. The conservation of power and the subsequent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions achieved through faster data analysis can contribute to a more sustainable future.
NEC plans to continue improving FireDucks based on user feedback and aims to commercialize it by fiscal year 2024. This software was developed with the support of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) in Japan.
In conclusion, NEC’s launch of FireDucks, a free software program designed to accelerate data analysis using Python pandas, offers data scientists a valuable tool for faster and more efficient data preparation. With its accelerated performance and high compatibility with pandas, FireDucks has the potential to revolutionize the way data analysis is conducted, reducing analysis time and computing costs.
