[CAnet - news] The age of Citizen cyber-infrastructure
"Bill St. Arnaud" <[email protected]> Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:26:20 -0400
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For more information on this item please visit my blog at=20
http://green-broadband.blogspot.com/ or http://billstarnaud.blogspot.com
-------------------------------------------
=20
=20
[For more examples of citizen cyber-infrastructure please see
http://citizen-science.blogspot.com/. Some excerpts from iSGTW--BSA]
http://www.isgtw.org/?pid=3D1001877
Opinion - The age of citizen cyberspace
_____ =20
=09
Using LHC@home, particle beam dynamics can be studied with volunteer
computing. Image courtesy CERN=20
(Fran=E7ois Grey, one of the key people behind the founding of the =
present-day
iSGTW and a frequent contributor to these pages, argues that with =
volunteer
computing, we are about to embark upon a new era of =93citizen =
science.=94)
=20
=85.PrimeGrid <http://www.primegrid.com/> , is tackling a host of =
numerical
challenges, such as finding the longest arithmetic progression of prime
numbers (the current record is 25). Professional mathematicians now =
eagerly
collaborate with Rytis to analyze the gems that his volunteers dig up. =
Yet
he funds his project by selling PrimeGrid mugs and t-shirts. In short, =
Rytis
and his online volunteers are a web-enabled version of a venerable
tradition: they are =93citizen scientists.=94
There are nearly 100 science projects using such volunteer computing. =
Like
PrimeGrid, most are based on an open-source software platform called =
BOINC
<http://boinc.berkeley.edu/> (see 15 October 2008 iSGTW, =93Reaching
<http://www.isgtw.org/?pid=3D1001391> for the Exa-scale=94) with =
volunteer
computing. Many address topical themes, such as modelling climate change
with ClimatePrediction.net <http://www.climateprediction.net/> ), =
developing
drugs for AIDS with FightAids@home <http://fightaidsathome.scripps.edu/> =
,
or simulating the spread of malaria with MalariaControl.net
<http://malariacontrol.net/> . (See 7 May 2008 iSGTW, =93WISDOM =
unplugged:
Malaria drug-leads graduate to the wet lab
<http://www.isgtw.org/?pid=3D1000993> =94)
Fundamental science projects are also well represented. Einstein@Home
<http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/> ( <http://www.isgtw.org/?pid=3D1001091> =
iSGTW
14 May 2008) analyzes data from gravitational wave detectors, =
MilkyWay@Home
<http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/> simulates galactic evolution, =
and
LHC@home <http://lhcathome.cern.ch/> studies accelerator beam dynamics.
Each of these projects has easily attracted tens of thousands of =
volunteers.
[..]
A new wave of online science projects, which can be described as =
=93volunteer
thinking,=94 takes the idea of participative science to a higher level. =
A
popular example is the project GalaxyZoo =
<http://www.galaxyzoo.org/story> ,
where volunteers can classify images of galaxies from the Sloan Digital =
Sky
<http://www.sdss.org/> Survey as either elliptical or spiral, via a =
simple
web interface. In a matter of months, some 100,000 volunteers classified
more than 1 million galaxies. People do this sort of pattern recognition
more accurately than any computer algorithm. And by asking many =
volunteers
to classify the same image, their statistical average proves to be more
accurate than even a professional astronomer.
[..]
Going one step farther in interactivity, the project Foldit
<http://fold.it/portal/info/science> is an online game that scores a
player=92s ability to fold a protein molecule into a minimal-energy =
structure.
Through a nifty web interface, players can shake, wiggle and stretch
different parts of the molecule. Again, people are often much faster at =
this
task than computers, because of their aptitude to reason in three
dimensions. And the best protein folders are usually teenage gaming
enthusiasts rather than trained biochemists.
Who can benefit from this web-based boom in citizen science? In my view,
scientists in the developing world stand to gain most by effectively
plugging in to philanthropic resources: the computers and brains of
supportive citizens, primarily those in industrialized countries with =
the
necessary equipment and leisure time. A project called Africa@home
<http://africa-at-home.web.cern.ch/africa-at-home/> , which I've been
involved in, has trained dozens of African scientists to use BOINC. Some =
are
already developing new volunteer-thinking projects, and the first =
African
BOINC server is running at the University of Cape Town
<http://www.uct.ac.za/> .
A new initiative called Asia@home was launched last month with a =
workshop at
Academia Sinica <http://www.sinica.edu.tw/main_e.shtml> in Taipei and a
seminar at the Institute of High Energy Physics in Beijing, to drum up
interest in that region. Asia represents an enormous potential, in terms =
of
both the numbers of people with internet access (more Chinese are now =
online
than Americans) and the high levels of education and interest in =
science.
To encourage such initiatives further, CERN
<http://user.web.cern.ch/user/Welcome.asp> , the United Nations =
Institute
for <http://www.unitar.org/> Training and Research and the University
<http://www.unige.ch/international/index_en.html> of Geneva will =
establish
a Citizen Cyberscience Center on 2 July. This will help disseminate
volunteer computing in the developing world and encourage new technical
approaches. For example, as mobile phones become more powerful they, =
too,
can surely be harnessed.
There are about one billion internet connections on the planet and three
billion mobile phones. That represents a huge opportunity for citizen
science.
=20
-------------------------------------
To subscribe or unsubscribe send e-mail to [email protected]
=20
These news items and comments are mine alone and do not necessarily =
reflect
those of the CANARIE board or management.
=20
=20
=20
=20
------
[email protected]
[email protected]
http://billstarnaud.blogspot.com/
=20
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<div class=3DSection1>
<p class=3DMsoPlainText>For more information on this item please visit =
my blog at
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoPlainText><a =
href=3D"http://green-broadband.blogspot.com/">http://green-broadband.blog=
spot.com/</a>
or <a =
href=3D"http://billstarnaud.blogspot.com">http://billstarnaud.blogspot.co=
m</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p =
class=3DMsoPlainText>-------------------------------------------<o:p></o:=
p></p>
<p class=3DMsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoPlainText>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 <o:p></o:p></p>
<h1><span style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'>=A0[For more examples of citizen
cyber-infrastructure please see <a =
href=3D"http://citizen-science.blogspot.com/">http://citizen-science.blog=
spot.com/</a>.=A0
Some excerpts from iSGTW--BSA]<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<h1><span style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'><a =
href=3D"http://www.isgtw.org/?pid=3D1001877">http://www.isgtw.org/?pid=3D=
1001877</a><o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<h1><span style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'>Opinion - The age of citizen =
cyberspace<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<div class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'>
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<tr>
<td style=3D'padding:4.5pt 4.5pt 4.5pt 4.5pt'>
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-anchor-horizontal:
=
column;mso-element-left:right;mso-element-top:middle;mso-height-rule:exac=
tly'>Using
LHC@home, particle beam dynamics can be studied with volunteer =
computing. <i>Image
courtesy CERN </i><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><i>(Fran=E7ois Grey, one of the key people behind the founding of the
present-day iSGTW and a frequent contributor to these pages, argues that =
with
volunteer computing, we are about to embark upon a new era of =
“citizen
science.”)</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p>….<a href=3D"http://www.primegrid.com/" =
target=3D"_blank">PrimeGrid</a>,
is tackling a host of numerical challenges, such as finding the longest =
arithmetic
progression of prime numbers (the current record is 25). Professional
mathematicians now eagerly collaborate with Rytis to analyze the gems =
that his
volunteers dig up. Yet he funds his project by selling PrimeGrid mugs =
and
t-shirts. In short, Rytis and his online volunteers are a web-enabled =
version
of a venerable tradition: they are “citizen =
scientists.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>There are nearly 100 science projects using such volunteer computing. =
Like
PrimeGrid, most are based on an open-source software platform called <a
href=3D"http://boinc.berkeley.edu/" target=3D"_blank">BOINC</a> (see 15 =
October
2008 <i>iSGTW</i>, “<a =
href=3D"http://www.isgtw.org/?pid=3D1001391">Reaching
for the Exa-scale</a>”) with volunteer computing. Many address =
topical
themes, such as modelling climate change with <a
href=3D"http://www.climateprediction.net/" =
target=3D"_blank">ClimatePrediction.net</a>),
developing drugs for AIDS with <a =
href=3D"http://fightaidsathome.scripps.edu/"
target=3D"_blank">FightAids@home</a>, or simulating the spread of =
malaria with <a
href=3D"http://malariacontrol.net/" =
target=3D"_blank">MalariaControl.net</a>. (See
7 May 2008 <i>iSGTW</i>, “<a =
href=3D"http://www.isgtw.org/?pid=3D1000993"
target=3D"_blank">WISDOM unplugged: Malaria drug-leads graduate to the =
wet lab</a>”)<br>
<br>
Fundamental science projects are also well represented. <a
href=3D"http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/" =
target=3D"_blank">Einstein@Home</a> (<a
href=3D"http://www.isgtw.org/?pid=3D1001091" =
target=3D"_blank"><i>iSGTW</i> 14 May
2008</a>) analyzes data from gravitational wave detectors, <a
href=3D"http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/" =
target=3D"_blank">MilkyWay@Home</a>
simulates galactic evolution, and <a href=3D"http://lhcathome.cern.ch/"
target=3D"_blank">LHC@home</a> studies accelerator beam dynamics. Each =
of these
projects has easily attracted tens of thousands of volunteers.<br>
<br>
[..]<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>A new wave of online science projects, which can be described as
“volunteer thinking,” takes the idea of participative =
science to a higher
level. A popular example is the project <a =
href=3D"http://www.galaxyzoo.org/story"
target=3D"_blank">GalaxyZoo</a>, where volunteers can classify images of =
galaxies
from the <a href=3D"http://www.sdss.org/" target=3D"_blank">Sloan =
Digital Sky
Survey</a> as either elliptical or spiral, via a simple web interface. =
In a
matter of months, some 100,000 volunteers classified more than 1 million
galaxies. People do this sort of pattern recognition more accurately =
than any
computer algorithm. And by asking many volunteers to classify the same =
image,
their statistical average proves to be more accurate than even a =
professional
astronomer.<br>
<br>
[..]<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Going one step farther in interactivity, the project <a
href=3D"http://fold.it/portal/info/science" target=3D"_blank">Foldit</a> =
is an
online game that scores a player’s ability to fold a protein =
molecule
into a minimal-energy structure. Through a nifty web interface, players =
can
shake, wiggle and stretch different parts of the molecule. Again, people =
are
often much faster at this task than computers, because of their aptitude =
to
reason in three dimensions. And the best protein folders are usually =
teenage
gaming enthusiasts rather than trained biochemists.<br>
<br>
Who can benefit from this web-based boom in citizen science? In my view,
scientists in the developing world stand to gain most by effectively =
plugging
in to philanthropic resources: the computers and brains of supportive =
citizens,
primarily those in industrialized countries with the necessary equipment =
and
leisure time. A project called <a
href=3D"http://africa-at-home.web.cern.ch/africa-at-home/" =
target=3D"_blank">Africa@home</a>,
which I've been involved in, has trained dozens of African scientists to =
use
BOINC. Some are already developing new volunteer-thinking projects, and =
the
first African BOINC server is running at the<a =
href=3D"http://www.uct.ac.za/"
target=3D"_blank"> University of Cape Town</a>.<br>
<br>
A new initiative called Asia@home was launched last month with a =
workshop at <a
href=3D"http://www.sinica.edu.tw/main_e.shtml" =
target=3D"_blank">Academia Sinica</a>
in Taipei and a seminar at the Institute of High Energy Physics in =
Beijing, to drum
up interest in that region. Asia represents an enormous potential, in =
terms of
both the numbers of people with internet access (more Chinese are now =
online
than Americans) and the high levels of education and interest in =
science.<br>
<br>
To encourage such initiatives further, <a
href=3D"http://user.web.cern.ch/user/Welcome.asp" =
target=3D"_blank">CERN</a>, the <a
href=3D"http://www.unitar.org/" target=3D"_blank">United Nations =
Institute for
Training and Research</a> and the <a
href=3D"http://www.unige.ch/international/index_en.html" =
target=3D"_blank">University
of Geneva</a> will establish a Citizen Cyberscience Center on 2 July. =
This will
help disseminate volunteer computing in the developing world and =
encourage new
technical approaches. For example, as mobile phones become more powerful =
they,
too, can surely be harnessed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>There are about one billion internet connections on the planet and =
three
billion mobile phones. That represents a huge opportunity for citizen =
science.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p =
class=3DMsoPlainText>-------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></p>=
<p class=3DMsoPlainText>To subscribe or unsubscribe send e-mail to <a
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a><o=
:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoPlainText>These news items and comments are mine alone and =
do not
necessarily reflect those=A0 of the CANARIE board or =
management.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal>------<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal>[email protected]<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal>[email protected]<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal>http://billstarnaud.blogspot.com/<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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