Cell chip helps cure cancer (again)

by Andrew Yoon { Jan 11th 2008 at 5:00AM }

Sony really hates cancer. So should you.

PS3's Cell chip is being used to monitor a tumor's growth through CT (computed tomography) scans. According to Popular Mechanics, the Cell chip may be able to speed up CT scan results tenfold. That would offer earlier opportunities for diagnosis, treatment and preventative measures. Due to the mass scale production of the Cell chip for PS3s, researchers are hoping this will provide an affordable way of offering medical facilities the powerful computing necessary for advanced CT scans.

This isn't the only time the PS3 has been used in the scientific community. PS3 Fanboy readers are familiar with Folding@home, which is used to analyze the way proteins fold. Looks like the Cell chip inside the PS3 really is quite incredible.

[Via NeoGAF]

Tags: cancer, cell, ct

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Sam @ Jan 11th 2008 6:44AM

If only they could help cure boredom.

Haiddasalami @ Jan 11th 2008 9:27AM

Good for Sony! When can I have a CT machine in my house? Those things are goddarn expensive but good thing us Canadians have free medical :P

Haiddasalami @ Jan 11th 2008 9:27AM

Srry for double post

Haiddasalami @ Jan 11th 2008 9:27AM

Good for Sony! When can I have a CT machine in my house? Those things are goddarn expensive but good thing us Canadians have free medical :P

Draco @ Jan 11th 2008 9:29AM

I don't know, I find it rather amusing how anti Sony fanboys can turn anything Sony related into a negative. Without the PS3 (Cell) that wouldnt happen as much.

I'd wager you got a kick out of your little unfounded shot up there too.

Draco @ Jan 11th 2008 9:41AM

I don't know Sam,

I get enjoyment out of watching angry people put down products for no logical reason all the time, I would think about getting some anti depressants, I checked out some of your other posts, and they seem quite negative across the board. I thought you may have been a fanboy, maybe you are a PC fanboy, but you just struck me as an angry person.

Point of the story is, watching you be angry is curing my bordom, and you are angry at the Cell chip, so the Cell chip cured my boredom.

P.S how do you reply? I thought there was a button for that, but couldn't see it.

Draco @ Jan 11th 2008 9:42AM

What the blank happened there, first time it said page not found,

Mazdak @ Jan 11th 2008 10:20AM

Sam, I guess no one you about the following:

Blu-Ray Playback
Games including but not limited to:
Warhawk
Rachet & Clank
Uncharted
Heavenly Sword
Folklore
Resistance: FoM
A huge library of games thanks to BC (PS1/2 for those of us with 20, 60 or 80 gig versions and, from what I understand, PS1 with 40 gig version)

All of which are excellent cures for bordem.

Xiru @ Jan 11th 2008 11:40AM

Ps3 is fun. I play my PS3 way more than my Wii or 360. So its only your opinion that its not fun. Also, its great to hear about technology being used to fight cancer. How amazing would it be if the cell really did lead to finding a cure?

Sam @ Jan 11th 2008 3:56PM

Jesus chill out. I just thought it was too obvious a joke to miss out on.

I actually own a ps3 and all other next gen consoles and i'm not a "fanboy" or "anti-fanboy" of anything, dont jump to conclusions.

Sheesh when did the internet forget how to have fun and start being so easy to troll?

Faar @ Jan 11th 2008 4:05PM

This is actually not the first time that the Cell chip has been put to this kind of use.

Here is one such press release that shows development work started over 2.5 years ago: http://www.mc.com/mediacenter/pressrelease.aspx?id=1920

Mercury also released a video a good while ago that demos a Cell-based system (not PS3-based tho), processing MRI - magnetic resonance imaging; not CT as mentioned in this article - data into a displayable computer model roughly 50 times faster than a conventional computer system.

Instead of taking several minutes it took just a few seconds. I can't be bothered to dredge up that link right now, but someone with decent google-fu skillz should be able to find it no problem. :)

And Sam, please go to the front desk to claim your pettiness award, kkthx. :P