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PhysX
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<p>PhysX is an <a href="/facts/Open-source_software/HzTaB8E9">open-source</a> <a href="/facts/Real-time_computer_graphics/jrILnb0K">realtime</a> <a href="/facts/Physics_engine/lAsEdSA4">physics engine</a> <a href="/facts/Middleware/HobNosz9">middleware</a> <a href="/facts/Software_development_kit/2Hkk6Hbs">SDK</a> developed by <a href="/facts/Nvidia/8QfCgqbu">Nvidia</a> as part of the <a href="/facts/Nvidia_GameWorks/yEazqNyb">Nvidia GameWorks</a> <a href="/facts/Software_suite/4TlRyeus">software suite</a>. </p><p>Initially, video games supporting PhysX were meant to be <a href="/facts/Hardware_acceleration/ej5sM7hB">accelerated</a> by <a href="/facts/Physics_processing_unit/cay9UPA0">PhysX PPU</a> (<a href="/facts/Expansion_card/QkWAPnxJ">expansion cards</a> designed by <a href="/facts/Ageia/zHH7oytF">Ageia</a>). However, after Ageia's acquisition by Nvidia, dedicated PhysX cards have been discontinued in favor of the <a href="/facts/API/GMlN4vUr">API</a> being run on <a href="/facts/CUDA/fvPpolot">CUDA</a>-enabled <a href="/facts/GeForce/HhHGHp4Y">GeForce</a> <a href="/facts/Graphics_processing_unit/PTK1RQVp">GPUs</a>. In both cases, <a href="/facts/Hardware_acceleration/ej5sM7hB">hardware acceleration</a> allowed for the offloading of physics calculations from the <a href="/facts/Central_processing_unit/Jxp1bqMV">CPU</a>, allowing it to perform other tasks instead. </p><p>PhysX and other middleware physics engines are used in many video games today because they allow <a href="/facts/Game_development/bzbpfYJd">game developers</a> to save development time by not having to write their own code that implements <a href="/facts/Classical_mechanics/ykG8upsN">classical mechanics</a> (Newtonian physics). To do, for example, <a href="/facts/Soft_body_dynamics/oGunDtW0">soft body dynamics</a>. </p>