Intel makes use of the Facebook interface to solicit unused and defunct processors which in turn will be used for a worthy cause to help research projects in finding cures against diseases and climate change. Among the organizations who will be the beneficiaries of the cause, Rosetta@home, Climateprediction.net and Africa@home.

Launched today as a public beta and available to all Facebook users, the application automatically directs a computer’s idle processor power to fuel researchers’ computational efforts. The application will activate only when a PC’s performance is not being fully utilized. When the participant’s computer usage demands more processor performance, the application defers and sits idle until spare processing capabilities become available again.

The application runs automatically as a background process on a PC and will not affect performance or any other tasks. Additionally, Progress Thru Processors does not require participants to leave their computers powered up unnecessarily. By keeping their PCs on only as they normally would, participants will still be contributing to life-changing research.

(Source) Press