Several start-ups are attempting to capitalize on the theory of "distributed computing," using the power of several computers to accomplish one complex task quickly. Other organizations are using the technology to fight disease or even search for space aliens.
Applied MetaComputing: Developed by the University of Virginia for the federal departments of energy and defense, the company's technology is used by Harvard Medical School, the Naval Research Laboratory and NASA.
DataSynapse: The company's technology offers "secure Web processing" using only high-speed, or broadband, Internet connections and provides customers with Flooz, a digital currency. It plans to develop a more comprehensive Web search engine powered by hundreds of distributed computers.
DCypher.net: Owned by Distributed Science, which also operates the ProcessTree Network, this distributed computing effort aims to entice contributors with micropayments for their computer time.
Entropia: This distributed computing consortium has generated 623 million hours of research time toward solving public interest issues including FightAIDS@Home, a distributed computing system contributing to anti-HIV drug research.
Mojo Nation: This company is creating an exchange, or marketplace, for buying and selling excess CPU cycles and disk drive storage space. It offers customers a digital currency, dubbed Mojo, created by the company.
Parabon Computation: A global distributed computing platform used for commercial applications such as rendering 3D graphics. It also is working with research groups to study and fight cancer.
Popular Power: This commercial distributed computing company is working on a computer model that simulates the human immune response to an influenza vaccine to optimize the vaccine.
SETI@home: This university experiment, sponsored by The Planetary Society, uses multiple computers to analyze radio telescope data and pulses of light in an effort to locate intelligent extraterrestrial, or alien, life forms.
United Devices: Founded
by SETI@home founder David Anderson, the company has secured $13 million in
venture capital funding from Softbank Venture Capital, Oak Investment
Partners and others. It offers customers WebMiles, frequent flyer miles
valid for any airline.