Personal computers will help fight AIDS

A new project, called FightAIDS@Home, is hoping to tap into the unused power of individual and business computers to help research and identify drugs used to combat the HIV virus.

The Internet-based initiative aims to enlist about 100,000 computer users to donate the use of their machines when they would otherwise be idle.

Apparently the participants' machines can request data from a central server, process it and send back the results.

According to the scheme's organizers they hope to develop new chemical strategies to treat HIV-infected individuals, with the backing of the San-Diego based Scripps Research Institute.

Scripps say that by being able to tap into a vast reservoir of computer processing power, researchers will be able to approach problems more aggressively and quickly.

This is the second research project using the network of computers, called the World Community grid, which is funded by IBM.

http://www.fightaidsathome.org/