When Michigan State University student Jonathan Brier is typing at 60 words per minute on his computer keyboard, his computer is actually multi-tasking. He has signed it up to do volunteer work.
While the supply chain management senior is doing homework, in the background his computer is processing information for global science projects that are measuring things like the work of solar cells or seeking a cure for malaria.
Through a Brooklyn-based nonprofit called GridRepublic, computers can work together creating a virtual supercomputer.
“Solar cell research, which would take 20 years of work in a lab, can be simulated in two years or less,” Brier says.
The concept is not entirely new. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) has been trying for 10 years to detect intelligent life outside earth. More than 940,000 users have offered their computers to help find narrow-bandwidth radio signals from space. The project is sponsored by the University of California, Sun Microsystems, the Planetary Society and others.
But in recent years, a plethora of projects have been added and a new Web site, bringing them together, makes signing up easy with a couple of clicks. Security is a high priority, Brier says. The BOINC platform, which GridRepublic uses, has been thoroughly reviewed by experts including IBM. It can run on Windows, Macintosh, or Linux.
“It’s really safer than browsing the Internet,” he says.
Volunteers can learn about the projects they are supporting by clicking on the community section of the site where they can ask scientists questions and learn about new discoveries. They can also set preferences to give as much computer time as they wish.
“In the past, volunteer computing was seen as something for geeks. But now anyone who can check his or her e-mail is good to go."
Source: Jonathan Brier
Gretchen Cochran, Innovation & Jobs editor, may be reached here.
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