The parents of people who play video games day in and day out may find a little bit of solace — their offspring could help cure cancer someday.
Sony’s latest PlayStation, the PS3, can aid Stanford University researchers in combing through millions of pieces of medical data with the game consoles’ high-speed processors, according to Forbes.com.
If this sounds familiar, that’s because it has been done several times over with PC screen savers, starting with the popular SETI@home program, which used the processing power of thousands of regular computers online worldwide to analyze radio waves from deep space in search of alien life. So far ET has not phoned.
The PS3 can do something similar, except it will be used for analyzing complex proteins and other medical information to find cures for cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and other ailments, in between games of Grand Theft Auto. —Dan Carnevale
Developing online and blended learning programs requires research and collaboration. Learn how top technology companies are partnering with campuses across the country to advance online learning as it becomes an increasingly important aspect of higher education.