New game Mozak enables gamers to help map neuron shapes in 3D, further advancing neuroscience research

Briefing

New game Mozak enables gamers to help map neuron shapes in 3D, further advancing neuroscience research

April 27, 2017

Briefing

  • Neuron 3D Mapping Game – New game Mozak, developed by University of Washington Center for Game Science, enables video gamers to help scientists map or reconstruct neurons’ shapes in 3D at 3.6 times speed compared to previous methods
  • Better Than Computers – Outperformed computers, with volunteer scientists reconstructing neurons at 70-90% completion rate, compared to computers' 10-20%
  • Accurate and Verifiable – Requires neuron shapes to be confirmed among multiple players, ensuring accuracy
  • Applications – Presents key step to answering important neuroscience questions, such as how many neurons are in brain, as well as determining brain functions and diseases
  • Similar Game – Modeled after Foldit, game developed by same team, that lets volunteers predict how proteins fold
  • Training Data for Computers – Data collected from game can train computers to map neurons in 3D on larger scale

Accelerator

Sector

Healthcare/Health Sciences, Information Technology

Organization

Center for Game Science

Source

Original Publication Date

April 24, 2017

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