Distributed computing app for fighting cancer and other diseases
DreamLab is an app developed by the Vodafone Foundation which aims to contribute to research on different diseases by using distributed computing.
What is distributed computing and how does DreamLab work
There are projects which, due to the sheer magnitude of their data-processing and calculation needs, resort to the use a network of computers in which each is assigned a piece of the work to be carried out. This way the work is distributed, thereby freeing up central units from some of the calculating load. This, in short, is distributed computing and it is used for all kinds of projects, such as SETI@home, which was set up to search for signs of extraterrestrial life.
This is also the system applied to scientific research in the field of medicine and more specifically of cancer, as is the case with DreamLab. The app allows us to contribute with the calculating power of our device when we are not using it (at night, principally) in order to process data necessay for the development of medications, for example.
It is a project from Imperial College London and is currently dedicating resources in the fight against the COVID-19 virus. So, without needing to have any idea of virology or cellular malformation, you can do your bit to help enhance developments in medical science.
Requirements and additional information:
- Minimum operating system requirements: Android 6.0.
