Using Personal Computers to Solve Humanitarian Problems

Using Personal Computers to Solve Humanitarian Problems
The World Community Grid is joining together individual personal computers to create massive processing power. The technology is helping reduce research time from years to months. Transcript of radio broadcast:
29 June 2008
This is the VOA Special English Development Report

A project called the World Community Grid has found a way for computers connected to the Internet to help solve humanitarian problems. The World Community Grid is making technology available to public and non-profit organizations to use in humanitarian research.

Scientists at the University of Washington, for example, are using the technology to study ways to improve the nutritional value of rice. Another research project supported by the World Community Grid is studying mathematical ways to design drugs to treat the disease AIDS. Other projects are studying cancer. And still others are studying climate change in Africa.

The success of the World Community Grid depends upon individuals collectively donating their extra computer power. This is based on the idea that most computers are inactive most of the time. During these times they are not used, they can help solve complex scientific or engineering problems.

The IBM corporation started the World Community Grid more than two years ago. The company continues to provide advice and support to the project. Stanley Litow heads community relations for IBM. He says anyone in the world with a computer connected to the Internet can join the project.

Volunteers download a program from the World Community Grid Web site. Every so often, the program uploads results or downloads more information to be processed. Individuals can also find out how much work their computer power has done on the Web site.

Currently, about one million personal computers in one hundred countries are involved in the World Community Grid. Mister Litow hopes that another million computers will join the project. Then, he says, the World Community Grid will become the world’s largest super computer able to do many projects a year.

Any researcher can sign up to use the grid’s super computing power. However, all findings from the studies must be made public. Mister Litow says not only is the technology free. But he says it will also lead to more knowledge and valuable scientific discoveries.

And that’s the VOA Special English Development Report, written by Jill Moss. You can find a link to the World Community Grid and transcripts of our reports at voaspecialenglish.com. I’m Steve Ember.
----------------------------Google Translate


使用个人电脑，以解决人道主义问题
在世界共同体网格计划是携手个别的个人电脑制造大量的处理能力。该技术是帮助降低研究的时间从几年到几个月。全文电台广播：
2008年6月29日
这是美国之音特别英语发展报告

一个项目，被称为世界共同体网格计划已经找到了一种方法，为计算机连接到互联网，以帮助解决人道主义问题。在世界共同体网格计划是制造技术提供给市民和非营利组织使用，在人道主义研究。

科学家们在华盛顿大学，举例来说，采用这项技术的研究，就如何改善营养价值的水稻。另一项研究项目，支持由世界共同体网格计划是学习数学的方法设计的药物治疗该疾病艾滋病。其他项目正在研究癌症。还有一些公司正在研究气候变化是在非洲。

成功的世界共同体网格计划，取决于个人的集体捐献课外计算机电源。这是基于观念，大部分的电脑都是无效的，大部分的时间。在这些时代，他们是没有用，他们可以帮助解决复杂的科学或工程问题。

在IBM公司开始世界共同体网格计划在两年多前。该公司将继续提供咨询和支持该项目。赤柱litow元首社区关系为IBM 。他说，任何人在世界上与计算机连接到互联网可以加入该项目。

义工下载一个程序，从世界社区网格的网站。因此，每一个的时候，程序上载或下载结果的更多信息，才能处理。个人也可以找到多少工作，他们的计算机电源已做在网站上。

目前，大约有一百万个人电脑在100个国家参与，在世界共同体网格计划。米斯特塞litow希望另一万台计算机将加入该项目。然后，他说，世界共同体网格将成为世界上最大的超级计算机能够做到的许多项目1年。

任何研究员可以注册使用网格的超级计算能力。然而，所有的结果，从研究，要公开曝光。米斯特塞litow说，不仅是技术的自由。但他说，它还将导致更多的知识和宝贵的科学发现。

这是该美国之音特别英语的发展报告，写的小杰苔。你可以找到一个连接到世界共同体网格和誊我们的报告在voaspecialenglish.com 。我史蒂夫ember 。