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Video Gamers Advancing Genetic Research

Posted by Soulskill on from the just-slap-a-few-achievements-in-there dept.

An anonymous reader writes "From McGill's news site: 'Thousands of video game players have helped significantly advance our understanding of the genetic basis of diseases such as Alzheimer's, diabetes and cancer over the past year. They are the users of a web-based video game developed by Dr. Jérôme Waldispuhl of the McGill School of Computer Science and collaborator Mathieu Blanchette. Phylo is designed to allow casual game players to contribute to scientific research by arranging multiple sequences of coloured blocks that represent human DNA. By looking at the similarities and differences between these DNA sequences, scientists are able to gain new insight into a variety of genetically-based diseases.'" Hopefully Phylo will be as successful as Foldit.

7 of 23 comments (clear)

  1. What HAVEN'T we helped significantly advance? by VortexCortex · · Score: 2

    This is a great application of the "gamification" buzzword I've heard bandied about recently.

    So long as the reward structure doesn't represent Skinner Boxification, I'm fine with this.

    However, does everything need to be a game? If it was more like work would people perform the task for free? How do you know unless you try?

    Are not many real world systems very similar to playing games anyhow?
    This just in: Corporations help the Gambling Addicted advance the Economic Research via new game dubbed "The Stock Market".

    1. Re:What HAVEN'T we helped significantly advance? by djsmiley · · Score: 2

      While some people generally enjoy work, most don't

      While some people don't enjoy games, most do.

      This is why its a game, and not work :)

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      - http://www.milkme.co.uk
  2. Now all they need by Dunbal · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is to add a microtransaction model and they should be able to get people to both do the work AND fund the project at the same time!

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  3. Link to where you can play the game by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://phylo.cs.mcgill.ca/

  4. Zynga's LabVille is just around the corner... by Spud+McDoug · · Score: 5, Funny

    First one to 1,000,000 friends gets a Nobel.

  5. Re:Consoles by dskzero · · Score: 2

    This isn't a dark, grity, brown corridor shooter. It has no space on the consoles.

    --
    Oblivion Awaits
  6. "Game" mechanics need work by WhoIsThePumaman · · Score: 2

    While it's a neat puzzle game that magically transforms into science somehow, the timer mechanic is frustrating and off-putting. Why have an arbitrary time limit to solving these puzzles? Time limits are the laziest form of added difficulty and will drive away potential players once they see their progress disappear because they were too slow. I don't understand the motivation for having it there.