Lucid reaches for the clouds with GPU virtualization

By now, you're likely familiar with the basic technology behind Lucid's various products. Whether it's the original Hydra GPU load balancer or the Virtu software package that allows IGPs and discrete GPUs better to coexist, the core technology is the same: a software abstraction layer that intercepts calls to graphics APIs like Direct3D and then parcels out the work to the available GPUs as needed. By standing in between the programming interface and the graphics hardware—that is, by virtualizing the GPU—Lucid is able to make interesting things happen, whether it's allowing users of discrete graphics cards to access the QuickSync hardware in the Sandy Bridge IGP or enabling smoother frame delivery via the very clever HyperFormance scheme.

This year at CES, Lucid was offering an early peek at the next application of its GPU virtualization software, and this one looks to be more conventional. The company has created ...