Platform for collaborative processing of computing tasks

1. A method for processing computing tasks, the method comprising:

sending, by a system to a plurality of client devices, one or more client applications including program code for an interactive application and a machine learning application, the plurality of client devices forming a volunteer computing grid, the program code, when executed by processors of the plurality of client devices, respectively, causes the plurality of client devices to:

generate a user interface for the interactive application;

request, using the generated user interface for the interactive application, inputs from respective users of the plurality of client devices;

receive the requested inputs;

process, using computing resources of the plurality of client devices, respectively, at least part of the machine learning application, including to:

iteratively process, based on the received inputs, a machine learning algorithm of the machine learning application, wherein the requested inputs include pattern recognition inputs or training data inputs; and

modify the machine learning algorithm based on the iterative processing of the received inputs; and

transmit data indicating the received inputs and including the processing of at least part of the machine learning application; and

receiving and processing, by the system, the data, from the plurality of client devices in the volunteer computing grid, indicating the received inputs and including the processing of at least part of the machine learning application to generate results for the computing tasks.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the interactive application is a video game and the computing tasks are research and development computing tasks for a research and development application,

the research and development computing tasks are performed at least in part based on (i) the received inputs and (ii) the processing of at least part of the machine learning application at the plurality of client devices, and

the video game is agnostic to the research and development computing tasks.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the interactive application is a video game,

the processing of at least part of the machine learning application, at the plurality of client devices, is performed based at least in part on the inputs received by respective ones of the plurality of client devices in the volunteer computing grid, and

the requested and received inputs are requested and received as part of game play of the video game to generate training data for the machine learning application, to provide at least some supervised learning of one or more solutions generated by the machine learning application, and to provide changes to the one or more solutions generated by the machine learning application.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising allowing at least subsidized media content to be provided to one of the plurality of client devices when the one client device is running the one or more client applications.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adding a task for completion via the plurality of client devices to a blockchain, the task requiring the inputs from the respective users of the plurality of client devices for completion,

wherein receiving and processing the data comprises:

receiving, from one or more of the plurality of client devices, a record to be posted to the blockchain as completion of the task;

validating the received record based on criteria associated with the task; and

adding the validated record to the blockchain.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein validating the received record comprises:

determining whether the record indicates completion of the task based on the criteria associated with the task; and

validating the record in response to the record indicating completion of the task.

7. A system for processing computing tasks, the system comprising:

a communication interface configured to:

send, to a plurality of client devices, one or more client applications including program code for an interactive application and a machine learning application, the plurality of client devices forming a volunteer computing grid, the program code, when executed by processors of the plurality of client devices, respectively, causes the plurality of client devices to:

generate a user interface for the interactive application;

request, using the generated user interface for the interactive application, inputs from respective users of the plurality of client devices;

receive the requested inputs;

process, using computing resources of the plurality of client devices, respectively, at least part of the machine learning application, including to:

iteratively process, based on the received inputs, a machine learning algorithm of the machine learning application, wherein the requested inputs include pattern recognition inputs or training data inputs; and

modify the machine learning algorithm based on the iterative processing of the received inputs; and

transmit data indicating the received inputs and including the processing of at least part of the machine learning application; and

receive the data indicating the received inputs and including the processing of at least part of the machine learning application; and

a processor operably connected to the communication interface, the processor configured to process the data, received from the plurality of client devices in the volunteer computing grid, associated with the received inputs and the processing of at least part of the machine learning application to generate results for the computing tasks.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the interactive application is a video game and the computing tasks are research and development computing tasks for a research and development application,

the research and development computing tasks are performed at least in part based on (i) the received inputs and (ii) the processing of at least part of the machine learning application at the plurality of client devices, and

the video game is agnostic to the research and development computing tasks.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the interactive application is a video game,

the processing of at least part of the machine learning application, at the plurality of client devices, is performed based at least in part on the inputs received by respective ones of the plurality of client devices in the volunteer computing grid, and

the requested and received inputs are requested and received as part of game play of the video game to generate training data for the machine learning application, to provide at least some supervised learning of one or more solutions generated by the machine learning application, and to provide changes to the one or more solutions generated by the machine learning application.

10. The system of claim 7 , the processor is further configured to allow at least subsidized media content to be provided to one of the plurality of client devices when the one client device is running the one or more client applications.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the processor is further configured to add a task for completion via the plurality of client devices to a blockchain, the task requiring the inputs from the respective users of the plurality of client devices for completion;

the communication interface is configured to receive, from one or more of the plurality of client devices, in the data, a record to be posted to the blockchain as completion of the task; and

the processor is further configured to:

validate the received record based on criteria associated with the task; and

add the validated record to the blockchain.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein to validate the received record, the processor is further configured to:

determine whether the record indicates completion of the task based on the criteria associated with the task; and

validate the record in response to the record indicating completion of the task.

13. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising first program code for processing computing tasks, the first program code, when executed by a processor of a system, causes the system to:

send, to a plurality of client devices, one or more client applications including second program code for an interactive application and a machine learning application, the plurality of client devices forming a volunteer computing grid, the second program code, when executed by processors of the plurality of client devices, respectively, causes the plurality of devices to:

generate a user interface for the interactive application;

request, using the generated user interface for the interactive application, inputs from respective users of the plurality of client devices;

receive the requested inputs;

process, using computing resources of the plurality of client devices, respectively, at least part of the machine learning application, including to:

iteratively process, based on the received inputs, a machine learning algorithm of the machine learning application, wherein the requested inputs include pattern recognition inputs or training data inputs; and

modify the machine learning algorithm based on the iterative processing of the received inputs; and

transmit data indicating the received inputs and including the processing of at least part of the machine learning application; and

receive and process the data, from the plurality of client devices in the volunteer computing grid, indicating the received inputs and including the processing of at least part of the machine learning application to generate results for the computing tasks.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein:

the interactive application is a video game and the computing tasks are research and development computing tasks for a research and development application,

the research and development computing tasks are performed at least in part based on (i) the received inputs and (ii) the processing of at least part of the machine learning application at the plurality of client devices, and

the video game is agnostic to the research and development computing tasks.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein:

the interactive application is a video game,

the processing of at least part of the machine learning application, at the plurality of client devices, is performed based at least in part on the inputs received by respective ones of the plurality of client devices in the volunteer computing grid, and

the requested and received inputs are requested and received as part of game play of the video game to generate training data for the machine learning application, to provide at least some supervised learning of one or more solutions generated by the machine learning application, and to provide changes to the one or more solutions generated by the machine learning application.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising program code, that when executed by the processor of the system, causes the system to allow at least subsidized media content to be provided to one of the plurality of client devices when the one client device is running the one or more client applications.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising program code, that when executed by the processor of the system, causes the system to:

add a task for completion via the plurality of client devices to a blockchain, the task requiring the inputs from the respective users of the plurality of client devices for completion;

receive, from one or more of the plurality of client devices, in the data, a record to be posted to the blockchain as completion of the task;

validate the received record based on criteria associated with the task; and

add the validated record to the blockchain.