DreamLab

DreamLab icon

DreamLab is a mobile application developed by the Vodafone Foundation in collaboration with the Imperial College London. The app harnesses the collective processing power of smartphones to assist in scientific research, particularly in the fields of cancer and COVID-19.

Overview

DreamLab was launched in 2015 with the primary goal of accelerating cancer research. By utilizing the idle processing power of smartphones, the app performs complex calculations that would otherwise require significant computational resources. Users can download the app and contribute to research by simply charging their phones overnight.

Functionality

The app works by breaking down large research problems into smaller tasks, which are then distributed to users' devices. When a user charges their phone, DreamLab downloads a small piece of the research problem, processes it, and sends the results back to a central server. This distributed computing approach significantly speeds up the research process.

Research Projects

DreamLab has supported several research projects, including:

• DRUGS (Drug Repositioning Using Grids of Smartphones): This project aims to identify existing drugs that could be repurposed to treat cancer.
• Corona-AI: Launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this project uses artificial intelligence to analyze data and identify potential treatments for the virus.

Impact

Since its launch, DreamLab has made significant contributions to scientific research. The app has been downloaded by millions of users worldwide, providing researchers with valuable computational power. The results from DreamLab's projects have been published in various scientific journals, highlighting the app's effectiveness in accelerating research.

How to Use

To participate in DreamLab, users need to:

1. Download the DreamLab app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. 2. Select a research project to support. 3. Charge their phone while the app runs in the background.

Privacy and Security

DreamLab ensures user privacy and data security by processing all data anonymously. The app does not access personal information or interfere with the phone's normal operations.

Related Pages

• Vodafone Foundation
• Imperial College London
• Distributed computing
• Cancer research
• COVID-19 research

See Also

• BOINC
• Folding@home
• SETI@home