World Community Grid enables anyone with a computer, Android or Raspberry Pi device to support scientific research on health and sustainability.
Frequently asked questions
If you have already signed up for World Community Grid, but still need to download/upgrade the app (or install it to another device), click here.
In order to participate in World Community Grid, you will need to have at least the following:
- The ability to display graphics (if you wish to see the graphics)
- An Internet connection
In addition, each research project has its own requirement for memory and disk space. These are as follows:
| Research Project | Memory Available | Disk Space | Operating Systems |
| Africa Rainfall Project | 1 GB | 1.5 GB | Windows1,2,6, Mac2,6, Linux1,2,6 |
| FightAIDS@Home - Phase 2 | 1 GB | 100 MB | Windows1, Mac2, Linux1,2 |
| Help Stop TB | 200 MB | 200 MB | Windows1,2, Mac2, Linux1,2 |
| Mapping Cancer Markers | 400 MB | 500 MB | Windows1,2, Mac2, Linux1,2, Android3,4 |
| Microbiome Immunity Project | 650 MB | 250 MB | Windows1,6, Mac2,6, Linux1,2,6 |
| OpenPandemics - COVID19 | 250 MB | 100 MB | Windows1,2, Mac2, Linux1,2,3,Android3,4 |
| Smash Childhood Cancer | 250 MB | 100 MB | Windows1,2, Mac2, Linux1,2, Android3,4 |
1. Version for x86 processors is available
2. Version for x86-64 processors is available
3. Version for ARM processors is available
4. Android Minimum requirement is Android version 4.4
5. Version for GPU is available (Open CL 1.1) (Note: Currently no applications have GPU version available.)
6. Users who choose to run this project are encouraged to set the 'Leave applications in memory while suspended' option in their device profile
To limit the number of tasks assigned to your device for a specific project, please see the FAQ here.
BOINC (Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing) is open source software that supports volunteer computing. BOINC was developed under a National Science Foundation grant at the University of California, Berkeley, and is used for many different volunteer computing initiatives. It consists of software that a user downloads and runs on their computer, as well as server components that handle distributing work units and receiving results.
World Community Grid uses BOINC as a key part of its infrastructure in order to help support research for multiple institutions. Volunteers participate in World Community Grid either by downloading the World Community Grid branded version of the BOINC software, or the BOINC software itself, available directly from BOINC's website.
More information about BOINC can be found here.