A framework for scientific discovery through video games / Seth Cooper

Author: Cooper, Seth, 1982-
Published: [New York] : Association for Computing Machinery ; [San Rafael, California] : Morgan & Claypool, [2014]
Copyright Date: ©2014
Edition: First edition.
Physical Description: xiv, 117 pages : color illustrations ; 24 cm.

Availability

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Series

ACM books ; #3.

Contents

Introduction -- Related literature -- Framework -- Protein structure prediction -- Protein design -- Protein structure refinement algorithms -- Conclusion.

Summary

"As science becomes increasingly computational, the limits of what is computationally tractable become a barrier to scientific progress. Many scientific problems, however, are amenable to human problem solving skills that complement computational power. By leveraging these skills on a larger scale--beyond the relatively few individuals currently engaged in scientific inquiry--there is the potential for new scientific discoveries. This book presents a framework for mapping open scientific problems into video games. The game framework combines computational power with human problem solving and creativity to work toward solving scientific problems that neither computers nor humans could previously solve alone. To maximize the potential contributors to scientific discovery, the framework designs a game to be played by people with no formal scientific background and incentivizes long-term engagement with a myriad of collaborative on competitive reward structures. The framework allows for the continual coevolution of the players and the game to each other: as players gain expertise through gameplay, the game changes to become a better tool. The framework is validated by being applied to proteomics problems with the video game Foldit. Foldit players have contributed to novel discoveries in protein structure prediction, protein design, and protein structure refinement algorithms. The coevolution of human problem solving and computer tools in an incetivized game framework is an exciting new scientific pathway that can lead to discoveries currently unreachable by other methods."--Page 4 of cover.

Subject(s)

ISBN

9781627055048 (print)
1627055045 (print)

Bibliography Note

Includes bibliographical references (pages 111-117).

Source of Acquisition

Purchased with funds from the Paterno Libraries Endowment (Harrisburg); 2016

Awards

ACM Dissertation Award, 2011.

Endowment Note

Paterno Libraries Endowment (Harrisburg)

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