The Galaxy Game - Harnessing the Power of Human Imagination
It's an actual cyborg simulation system, where man and machine are knitted together with HTML instead of heavy surgery. Computers are quick at calculations, but matching patterns requires more math than they can manage (assuming we knew how to program it), while even the most unarithmetic human can look at two things and tell if they look the same. The Galaxy Zoo harnesses their powers combined..
Players see an image of a galactic collision, one of the most awe-inspiring events in creation if you think about it for even a single second. The computer provides an array of random simulations, eight extra images arranged in a square around the real thing, and players pick which looks most like it. They can even adjust the parameters for their favorites to get even closer with an excellently engineered control panel altering an astronomical mega-event with simple sliders and buttons.
The cosmic crowdsourcer eliminates the effects of a troll out to wreck things (Thing Number One to prepare against online) via the sheer number of players, averaging out the most accurate simulation every day. Even better is how it's already worked: this is actually "Galaxy Zoo 2", working with the results of a previous project using the same strategy to identify these collisions out of a vast array of astronomical images.
Because the best games get sequels.
Luke mcKinney
Play Galaxy Zoo Right Now! http://www.galaxyzoo.org/
I guess it's one of those things that you really have to experience to describe fully or appreciate. It sounds like it's at least worth a look.
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Posted by: propecia | April 26, 2010 at 08:11 AM