[Paleopsych] physorg: 'Fold here,' say 130,000 computers
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Sun Aug 28 00:15:26 UTC 2005
'Fold here,' say 130,000 computers
http://www.physorg.com/news5907.html
It's already made computations equal to a single PC running continuously for
more than 14,000 years. It has 83,000 human members and more than 130,000
machines. It may be among the 20 largest "computers" in the world. It's World
Community Grid. Announced in November, World Community Grid is simple in
concept: harness some of the unused computing power of the world's 650 million
PCs.
To join, anyone with Internet access simply downloads a secure, free, and small
software program onto their laptop or home computer. Then with World Community
Grid's agent running in the background of each PC, the project applies massed
computing power to math-intensive research that will unlock genetic codes
underlying diseases such as cancer, HIV and Alzheimer's. It's a model similar
to the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), but with a more down to
earth focus. As one headline writer put it: Forget aliens; cure malaria.
Currently World Community Grid is running research for the Human Proteome
Folding Project. Knowing the shapes of proteins will help researchers
understand how proteins do the work they're supposed to and how diseases stop
proteins from maintaining healthy cells. The versatile grid can also take aim
at HIV and AIDS, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), malaria and other
diseases. And grid applications can help researchers and scientists with
earthquake warnings, improving crop yields and evaluating the supply of
critical natural resources like water. The organization is accepting proposals
for other research projects.
IBM donated the hardware, software, technical services and expertise to build
the infrastructure for World Community Grid and provides free hosting,
maintenance and support.
"We're taking IBM's innovative on demand grid technology - the same technology
we share with customers - and applying it to humanitarian issues about which
the world cares. We look forward to working with our employees, customers and
the public to execute this exciting vision," said Stanley S. Litow, vice
president of IBM Corporate Community Relations and president of the IBM
International Foundation.
World Community Grid also continues to build a network of dedicated partners
who encourage their employees, members, students and faculty to join. Along
with IBM, other partners include United Devices, Semiconductor Industry
Association, United Way of New York City, the Center for Corporate Citizenship
at Boston College and Information Technology Association of Canada.
You can join at http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/
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