Many scientific and commercial endeavors currently or will soon need to contend with the analysis of large datasets by a widely distributed user base. Some examples include:

• The Earth Observing System (EOS)
• The Human Brain Project, with time series of massive, 3-D brain scans
• The Human Genome Project;
• Automated astronomical scans
• Geophysical data;
• Crystallography data;
• Satellite weather image analysis, where chaotic processes are studied;
• Point of sale receipts, in which patterns of consumer spending are tracked;
• Banking records, which are analyzed for spending cycles or unusual transactions which may relate to illegal activities.