Donate unused computing power to IBM to find a cure for corona and cancer
Agency. Saver Thompson was 12 years old when he found his father at his home in Washington DC. Saver immediately called an ambulance and his father Brett was taken to hospital.
Her father was diagnosed with brain cancer. After years of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, Brett's cancer subsided. But Sawyer was determined to do something about the fight against cancer. He turned to technology to make a difference in this fight.
Like other child investigators, Sawyer built his own computer at the age of nine. He started a business called Zoya, which worked on machine building for the locals.
His business also gained a lot of fame on the internet. A Google search for "how to help cure cancer" turned up the IBM World Community Grid app. It helped Sawyer make a difference in the fight against cancer at home.
The IBM World Community Grid app uses volunteer computing. That is, it is a form of distributed computing, where people donate resources to a research project that is not used by their computer.
Even if you don't use this app, your computer, phone, or tablet is running virtual experiments in the background. Using a laboratory computer can be a costly test, and it can involve many errors. With this crowdsourcing method, anyone can participate in this kind of important research without money, without time and without expertise.
"I've always wanted to help people with computers," says Sawer. That's great. "
Many people are trapped indoors during the Kovid 19 epidemic. In such a situation, it is not easy to find a way to help voluntarily without physical presence and financial support. But volunteer computing initiatives such as World Community Grid are providing this opportunity.
Last year, Saver launched a website called Help Saver Fight Cancer. Through the website, he was sharing his father's story, urging people to sign up for his app. Meanwhile, she aims to receive a 100-year donation of cancer research processing before her father's birthday in September.
Another team of two users, the Old Champ from the UK and the Little Mermaid from Copenhagen, came to participate in the project. After coordinating with those teams, 80 people from around the world joined his campaign. Which helped him achieve his 100-year goal within a few months.
As soon as Old Champ was diagnosed with his own cancer, 14-year-old Sawer decided to increase his 100-year goal to 1,000 years.
‘I changed my goal not only for my father but for those old champs and many others who unexpectedly joined the journey,’ said Saver, ‘it was unprecedented. At first, I didn't think I could achieve the 100-year goal. But look, today we are on a journey of a thousand years. '
Saver Thompson (right). He donated his unused computing power through IBM's Community Grid app for brain cancer research after his father was diagnosed with brain cancer. Photo: Thompson family
The team's computer has already done about a million calculations. Which are more than 450 years of computing? "Other research donations need money," says Sawer. But it is 100% free and does not require any force. '
Volunteer computing has been in practice since 1990. Educational and research organizations have been conducting such activities. IBM began operating the World Community Grid in 2004 as part of its social responsibility program.
The app currently has 785,000 volunteers. Who can donate their unused computing power to any of the seven projects focused on the health sector?
‘The World Community Grid is a method of crowdsourcing for a major scientific problem. It enlists the help of volunteers to address challenges in the areas of health and environmental research, ”said Juan Hindo, IBM Corporate Social Responsibility Manager and leader of the World Community Grid Team.
The Mapping Cancer Marker Project identifies cancer indicators and studies on how to focus the treatment plan on the individual. Researchers have millions of different tissue samples.
Researchers have found tissue samples from healthy people, from various types of cancer to people who have died and people who are still struggling with the disease.
‘They are collecting extensive data to compare genetic profiles to detect cancer factors,’ says Hindi. Processing these millions of data requires a lot of computing power. This is when volunteers are needed.
‘Instead of inventing supercomputers or raising funds for computing capabilities, researchers have given us millions of calories.
They provide collaborations and we distribute them to our community of volunteers, "she said." Those volunteers are neither scientific nor technical. They don't need any skills or expertise to solve this problem. '
After installing the app on Volunteer's computer or Android device, when the user's device is not in full use, calculations are being made.
‘We operate it in our volunteer community through crowdsourcing. In a short time, researchers can complete it. The volunteers are very happy to be a part of this scientific process. '
If you also want to participate in this World Community Grid, you can do so through IBM's website. All you have to do is enter an email address and create a password.
Then you can choose which active project you want to put your computing power in. Then download the app to your computer or Android device.
