2007-03-22 04:16:22 · 3 answers · asked by the cuban 1 in Consumer Electronics ➔ Games & Gear
Basically you download the software and when you are not playing a game the ps3 communicates with standford. They send a unit of virtual protien for your system to fold. When it's done with that sample it sends it back to standford and stanford sends a new one.
Once the protein code is cracked they will be able to prevent and treat cancer etc...
One ps3 can do in two weeks what a high end pc takes up to a year to do. So Standford and Sony hope to get at least 10,000 ps3 owners to sign up and start folding.
We are doing it-
2007-03-22 04:31:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
One PS3 isn't powerful enough to handle all those complicated computations, but if you add another PS3 to help out, then the 2 working together can split the chores or they can work together to solve the problem quicker. Now add a third PS3, and the job gets easier because you have 3 PS3 doing the chores. Continue adding PS3 to the equation, and it gets easier and faster to solve complicated equations or to do data analysis. You know how each of the PS3's cell processor have it's own unique task but they work together to produce what you see? The PS3 network is going to be the same way.
If you watch Star Trek, then think of the PS3s as Borgs. Each PS3 represent an invidual Borg, but they work together to solve problems.
2007-03-22 04:25:48 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it simulates the behavior of proteins and how they react with time .. now because there are so many proteins and calculations .. they split up the calculations and give small amounts to the ps3 owners.. so if you download folding at home you can contribute a small amount of the whole project
2007-03-22 05:43:09 · answer #3 · answered by alan z 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋