SlideShare a Scribd company logo
1 of 25
Download to read offline
Increasing Performance via Gamification
in a Volunteer-Based Evolutionary
Computation System
Mario García-Valdez1
, Juan J. Merelo Guervós2
, Lucero Lara1
, and Pablo García-Sánchez3
1
Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana
2
Universidad de Granada
3
Universidad de Cádiz
Parallel, distributed, asynchronous,
ephemeral, adaptive
!2
Where do we run our EAs?
!3
–John Gage, Sun Microsystems
“The Network is the Computer”
!4
Available Resources
Laptops
Desktop
Grid
Cloud
Browsers
Smart Devices
Volunteers - Socio Technical System
Volunteer Computing
Volunteers are anonymous
As anonymous entities they are not
accountable
Volunteers must trust application
providers
Service providers must trust volunteers
Web-Based Volunteer
Computing
!8
JavaScript in all devices
Container
Virtual
Machine
Laptop
Ephemeral
DeviceRepository of Tuples
!9
!10
Gamification
“Gamification is the process by which gaming concepts are brought to real
world tasks associated with real people”
Huotari, K., Hamari, J.: Defining gamification: a service marketing perspective. In: Proceeding of the 16th
International Academic MindTrek Conference. pp. 17–22. ACM (2012).
Gamification Technique
Top Volunteers
Gamification Technique
A Competition
Gamification techniques in a volunteer context seeks to persuade users to use
their natural desire to compete, learn and socialize in given non-game context
application [5, 9].
By Making the rewards for tasks achievements visible to other players or
providing leader boards are ways of encouraging players to compete [10].
Issues
Volunteers are no longer anonymous
(we do not validate email).
They need to create a session (cookie).
More steps are needed.
Issues
Experiment - Problem
Each page visiting the experiment loads an HTTP Web
Worker that runs a local island.
An island is an evolutionary algorithm to solve a multi-
modal problem called L-Trap which has been used
extensively as a benchmark for evolutionary
algorithms.
40 concatenated L-Traps
After 100 Generations an HTTP PUT sends the best
individual
Experiment - Execution
“Asking again for your help, we are
conducting a computational experiment that
requires computer power. Can we borrow
some of your CPU? just visit the web page
(link) and leave the tab open. Be part of the
TOP TEN, register so we can track your
participation. The experiment will run until
November 27th, Thanks!.”
Reached 2000+ people.
Message included a deadline.
After deadline only Top Volunteers
were shown.
Results
Work is measured by the
number of HTTP PUT requests
Logarithmic scale
Registered users in green
Anonymous users in red
18 green vs 91 red
Registered users shared more resources
Registered users shared more time
Registered Users (Green)
Anonymous (Blue)
Extreme users shared many CPUs
(Workers)
More than 30 workers for
some time.
Many browsers, tabs or even
computers.
Registered users shared many CPUs
(Workers)
Conclusions
In this paper we have added gamification to a volunteer computing system via a
leaderboard of contributions of registered users.
After applying the gamification techniques, registered users participated much
more intensely than anonymous ones.
The fact that applying a gamification technique improved user participation
highlights the social nature of volunteer computing systems, piling on the fact
that successful social clouds must embed games and other social mechanisms
to enhance participation.
Future Work
Since it is a socio-technical system, including social features in it and studying
emerging social networks is an interesting line of work.
Other factors, such as the language used, the way the experiment is announced,
are also very important in this social context along with the study of the
behavior of users as they are participating in the web system.
Another line of work would be to study the possible negative effects of using
gamification techniques to improve engagement, like cheating or literally
gaming the system to defeat competition.

More Related Content

What's hot

A Planetary-Scale Blockchain Database for the World Computer
A Planetary-Scale Blockchain Database for the World ComputerA Planetary-Scale Blockchain Database for the World Computer
A Planetary-Scale Blockchain Database for the World ComputerCrowdsourcing Week
 
Knight community deck
Knight community deckKnight community deck
Knight community deckKDMC
 
Introduction to Semantic Computing
Introduction to Semantic ComputingIntroduction to Semantic Computing
Introduction to Semantic ComputingGraeme Wood
 
Media and Citizen Power: Open Africa Summit
Media and Citizen Power: Open Africa SummitMedia and Citizen Power: Open Africa Summit
Media and Citizen Power: Open Africa SummitAlexander Howard
 
The story of Data Stories
The story of Data StoriesThe story of Data Stories
The story of Data StoriesElena Simperl
 
Civic Technology and Mind Sets in Big Data
Civic Technology and Mind Sets in Big DataCivic Technology and Mind Sets in Big Data
Civic Technology and Mind Sets in Big DataAndrew Nash
 
Digital Futures - Data & Community Ecosystems
Digital Futures - Data & Community EcosystemsDigital Futures - Data & Community Ecosystems
Digital Futures - Data & Community EcosystemsOpen Knowledge Canada
 
Jen Q. Public: How analytics is impacting government, education and public sa...
Jen Q. Public: How analytics is impacting government, education and public sa...Jen Q. Public: How analytics is impacting government, education and public sa...
Jen Q. Public: How analytics is impacting government, education and public sa...IBM Analytics
 
Data journalism in the second machine age
Data journalism in the second machine ageData journalism in the second machine age
Data journalism in the second machine ageAlexander Howard
 
Big data and intelligent platforms
Big data and intelligent platformsBig data and intelligent platforms
Big data and intelligent platformsKrishnan Subramanian
 

What's hot (12)

A Planetary-Scale Blockchain Database for the World Computer
A Planetary-Scale Blockchain Database for the World ComputerA Planetary-Scale Blockchain Database for the World Computer
A Planetary-Scale Blockchain Database for the World Computer
 
Towards a More Open World
Towards a More Open WorldTowards a More Open World
Towards a More Open World
 
Knight community deck
Knight community deckKnight community deck
Knight community deck
 
Introduction to Semantic Computing
Introduction to Semantic ComputingIntroduction to Semantic Computing
Introduction to Semantic Computing
 
Media and Citizen Power: Open Africa Summit
Media and Citizen Power: Open Africa SummitMedia and Citizen Power: Open Africa Summit
Media and Citizen Power: Open Africa Summit
 
The story of Data Stories
The story of Data StoriesThe story of Data Stories
The story of Data Stories
 
Civic Technology and Mind Sets in Big Data
Civic Technology and Mind Sets in Big DataCivic Technology and Mind Sets in Big Data
Civic Technology and Mind Sets in Big Data
 
Internet de las cosas y datos de ciencia ciudadana para uso público
Internet de las cosas y datos de ciencia ciudadana para uso públicoInternet de las cosas y datos de ciencia ciudadana para uso público
Internet de las cosas y datos de ciencia ciudadana para uso público
 
Digital Futures - Data & Community Ecosystems
Digital Futures - Data & Community EcosystemsDigital Futures - Data & Community Ecosystems
Digital Futures - Data & Community Ecosystems
 
Jen Q. Public: How analytics is impacting government, education and public sa...
Jen Q. Public: How analytics is impacting government, education and public sa...Jen Q. Public: How analytics is impacting government, education and public sa...
Jen Q. Public: How analytics is impacting government, education and public sa...
 
Data journalism in the second machine age
Data journalism in the second machine ageData journalism in the second machine age
Data journalism in the second machine age
 
Big data and intelligent platforms
Big data and intelligent platformsBig data and intelligent platforms
Big data and intelligent platforms
 

Similar to Increasing Perfomance via Gamification in a Volunteer-Based Evolutionary Computation System

Machine Learning and Social Participation
Machine Learning and Social ParticipationMachine Learning and Social Participation
Machine Learning and Social ParticipationYasodara Cordova
 
20220203 jim spohrer purdue v12
20220203 jim spohrer purdue v1220220203 jim spohrer purdue v12
20220203 jim spohrer purdue v12ISSIP
 
20201219 jim spohrer icss2020 v3
20201219 jim spohrer icss2020 v320201219 jim spohrer icss2020 v3
20201219 jim spohrer icss2020 v3ISSIP
 
Usability First - Introduction to User-Centered Design
Usability First - Introduction to User-Centered DesignUsability First - Introduction to User-Centered Design
Usability First - Introduction to User-Centered Design@cristobalcobo
 
Presentation at board DKV Seguros
Presentation at board DKV SegurosPresentation at board DKV Seguros
Presentation at board DKV Segurososimod
 
‘From the lab into the real world’ [A User-Centered Approach]
‘From the lab into the real world’ [A User-Centered Approach]‘From the lab into the real world’ [A User-Centered Approach]
‘From the lab into the real world’ [A User-Centered Approach]@cristobalcobo
 
Opportunities and methodological challenges of Big Data for official statist...
Opportunities and methodological challenges of  Big Data for official statist...Opportunities and methodological challenges of  Big Data for official statist...
Opportunities and methodological challenges of Big Data for official statist...Piet J.H. Daas
 
ICT in the Context of global communication
ICT in the  Context of global communicationICT in the  Context of global communication
ICT in the Context of global communicationKAYJOANNELIWANAGAN
 
APC_Designing_Domestic_and_Carework_Platforms (1).pdf
APC_Designing_Domestic_and_Carework_Platforms (1).pdfAPC_Designing_Domestic_and_Carework_Platforms (1).pdf
APC_Designing_Domestic_and_Carework_Platforms (1).pdfJaasJames
 
hitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insights
hitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insightshitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insights
hitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insightsIngrid Fernandez, PhD
 
hitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insights
hitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insightshitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insights
hitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insightsIngrid Fernandez, PhD
 
20210309 jim spohrer future ai v8
20210309 jim spohrer future ai v820210309 jim spohrer future ai v8
20210309 jim spohrer future ai v8ISSIP
 
Network Intelligence Driven Human Behavior Modeling
Network Intelligence Driven Human Behavior ModelingNetwork Intelligence Driven Human Behavior Modeling
Network Intelligence Driven Human Behavior ModelingFahim Kawsar
 
UNU_CS_Research_Andrés
UNU_CS_Research_AndrésUNU_CS_Research_Andrés
UNU_CS_Research_AndrésAndrés Moreno
 
Platform Strategy and Digital Ecosystems
Platform Strategy and Digital EcosystemsPlatform Strategy and Digital Ecosystems
Platform Strategy and Digital EcosystemsApigee | Google Cloud
 
20220218 iess 2.2 v13
20220218 iess 2.2 v1320220218 iess 2.2 v13
20220218 iess 2.2 v13ISSIP
 
GEC+ 2016: Ainsley Lloyd
GEC+ 2016: Ainsley LloydGEC+ 2016: Ainsley Lloyd
GEC+ 2016: Ainsley LloydPeter Komives
 

Similar to Increasing Perfomance via Gamification in a Volunteer-Based Evolutionary Computation System (20)

Machine Learning and Social Participation
Machine Learning and Social ParticipationMachine Learning and Social Participation
Machine Learning and Social Participation
 
Platform Strategy & Ecosystems
Platform Strategy & EcosystemsPlatform Strategy & Ecosystems
Platform Strategy & Ecosystems
 
20220203 jim spohrer purdue v12
20220203 jim spohrer purdue v1220220203 jim spohrer purdue v12
20220203 jim spohrer purdue v12
 
20201219 jim spohrer icss2020 v3
20201219 jim spohrer icss2020 v320201219 jim spohrer icss2020 v3
20201219 jim spohrer icss2020 v3
 
Usability First - Introduction to User-Centered Design
Usability First - Introduction to User-Centered DesignUsability First - Introduction to User-Centered Design
Usability First - Introduction to User-Centered Design
 
Presentation at board DKV Seguros
Presentation at board DKV SegurosPresentation at board DKV Seguros
Presentation at board DKV Seguros
 
‘From the lab into the real world’ [A User-Centered Approach]
‘From the lab into the real world’ [A User-Centered Approach]‘From the lab into the real world’ [A User-Centered Approach]
‘From the lab into the real world’ [A User-Centered Approach]
 
Opportunities and methodological challenges of Big Data for official statist...
Opportunities and methodological challenges of  Big Data for official statist...Opportunities and methodological challenges of  Big Data for official statist...
Opportunities and methodological challenges of Big Data for official statist...
 
ICT in the Context of global communication
ICT in the  Context of global communicationICT in the  Context of global communication
ICT in the Context of global communication
 
APC_Designing_Domestic_and_Carework_Platforms (1).pdf
APC_Designing_Domestic_and_Carework_Platforms (1).pdfAPC_Designing_Domestic_and_Carework_Platforms (1).pdf
APC_Designing_Domestic_and_Carework_Platforms (1).pdf
 
hitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insights
hitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insightshitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insights
hitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insights
 
hitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insights
hitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insightshitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insights
hitachi-ebook-social-innovation-forbes-insights
 
20210309 jim spohrer future ai v8
20210309 jim spohrer future ai v820210309 jim spohrer future ai v8
20210309 jim spohrer future ai v8
 
Network Intelligence Driven Human Behavior Modeling
Network Intelligence Driven Human Behavior ModelingNetwork Intelligence Driven Human Behavior Modeling
Network Intelligence Driven Human Behavior Modeling
 
Smart Cities and NICT
Smart Cities and NICTSmart Cities and NICT
Smart Cities and NICT
 
UNU_CS_Research_Andrés
UNU_CS_Research_AndrésUNU_CS_Research_Andrés
UNU_CS_Research_Andrés
 
Platform Strategy and Digital Ecosystems
Platform Strategy and Digital EcosystemsPlatform Strategy and Digital Ecosystems
Platform Strategy and Digital Ecosystems
 
Seminar
SeminarSeminar
Seminar
 
20220218 iess 2.2 v13
20220218 iess 2.2 v1320220218 iess 2.2 v13
20220218 iess 2.2 v13
 
GEC+ 2016: Ainsley Lloyd
GEC+ 2016: Ainsley LloydGEC+ 2016: Ainsley Lloyd
GEC+ 2016: Ainsley Lloyd
 

Recently uploaded

Swan(sea) Song – personal research during my six years at Swansea ... and bey...
Swan(sea) Song – personal research during my six years at Swansea ... and bey...Swan(sea) Song – personal research during my six years at Swansea ... and bey...
Swan(sea) Song – personal research during my six years at Swansea ... and bey...Alan Dix
 
04-2024-HHUG-Sales-and-Marketing-Alignment.pptx
04-2024-HHUG-Sales-and-Marketing-Alignment.pptx04-2024-HHUG-Sales-and-Marketing-Alignment.pptx
04-2024-HHUG-Sales-and-Marketing-Alignment.pptxHampshireHUG
 
Understanding the Laravel MVC Architecture
Understanding the Laravel MVC ArchitectureUnderstanding the Laravel MVC Architecture
Understanding the Laravel MVC ArchitecturePixlogix Infotech
 
Human Factors of XR: Using Human Factors to Design XR Systems
Human Factors of XR: Using Human Factors to Design XR SystemsHuman Factors of XR: Using Human Factors to Design XR Systems
Human Factors of XR: Using Human Factors to Design XR SystemsMark Billinghurst
 
GenCyber Cyber Security Day Presentation
GenCyber Cyber Security Day PresentationGenCyber Cyber Security Day Presentation
GenCyber Cyber Security Day PresentationMichael W. Hawkins
 
Beyond Boundaries: Leveraging No-Code Solutions for Industry Innovation
Beyond Boundaries: Leveraging No-Code Solutions for Industry InnovationBeyond Boundaries: Leveraging No-Code Solutions for Industry Innovation
Beyond Boundaries: Leveraging No-Code Solutions for Industry InnovationSafe Software
 
Presentation on how to chat with PDF using ChatGPT code interpreter
Presentation on how to chat with PDF using ChatGPT code interpreterPresentation on how to chat with PDF using ChatGPT code interpreter
Presentation on how to chat with PDF using ChatGPT code interpreternaman860154
 
#StandardsGoals for 2024: What’s new for BISAC - Tech Forum 2024
#StandardsGoals for 2024: What’s new for BISAC - Tech Forum 2024#StandardsGoals for 2024: What’s new for BISAC - Tech Forum 2024
#StandardsGoals for 2024: What’s new for BISAC - Tech Forum 2024BookNet Canada
 
Slack Application Development 101 Slides
Slack Application Development 101 SlidesSlack Application Development 101 Slides
Slack Application Development 101 Slidespraypatel2
 
SQL Database Design For Developers at php[tek] 2024
SQL Database Design For Developers at php[tek] 2024SQL Database Design For Developers at php[tek] 2024
SQL Database Design For Developers at php[tek] 2024Scott Keck-Warren
 
Breaking the Kubernetes Kill Chain: Host Path Mount
Breaking the Kubernetes Kill Chain: Host Path MountBreaking the Kubernetes Kill Chain: Host Path Mount
Breaking the Kubernetes Kill Chain: Host Path MountPuma Security, LLC
 
Tech-Forward - Achieving Business Readiness For Copilot in Microsoft 365
Tech-Forward - Achieving Business Readiness For Copilot in Microsoft 365Tech-Forward - Achieving Business Readiness For Copilot in Microsoft 365
Tech-Forward - Achieving Business Readiness For Copilot in Microsoft 3652toLead Limited
 
Handwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed texts
Handwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed textsHandwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed texts
Handwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed textsMaria Levchenko
 
SIEMENS: RAPUNZEL – A Tale About Knowledge Graph
SIEMENS: RAPUNZEL – A Tale About Knowledge GraphSIEMENS: RAPUNZEL – A Tale About Knowledge Graph
SIEMENS: RAPUNZEL – A Tale About Knowledge GraphNeo4j
 
Enhancing Worker Digital Experience: A Hands-on Workshop for Partners
Enhancing Worker Digital Experience: A Hands-on Workshop for PartnersEnhancing Worker Digital Experience: A Hands-on Workshop for Partners
Enhancing Worker Digital Experience: A Hands-on Workshop for PartnersThousandEyes
 
Key Features Of Token Development (1).pptx
Key  Features Of Token  Development (1).pptxKey  Features Of Token  Development (1).pptx
Key Features Of Token Development (1).pptxLBM Solutions
 
08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking Men
08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking Men08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking Men
08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking MenDelhi Call girls
 
From Event to Action: Accelerate Your Decision Making with Real-Time Automation
From Event to Action: Accelerate Your Decision Making with Real-Time AutomationFrom Event to Action: Accelerate Your Decision Making with Real-Time Automation
From Event to Action: Accelerate Your Decision Making with Real-Time AutomationSafe Software
 
The Codex of Business Writing Software for Real-World Solutions 2.pptx
The Codex of Business Writing Software for Real-World Solutions 2.pptxThe Codex of Business Writing Software for Real-World Solutions 2.pptx
The Codex of Business Writing Software for Real-World Solutions 2.pptxMalak Abu Hammad
 
Azure Monitor & Application Insight to monitor Infrastructure & Application
Azure Monitor & Application Insight to monitor Infrastructure & ApplicationAzure Monitor & Application Insight to monitor Infrastructure & Application
Azure Monitor & Application Insight to monitor Infrastructure & ApplicationAndikSusilo4
 

Recently uploaded (20)

Swan(sea) Song – personal research during my six years at Swansea ... and bey...
Swan(sea) Song – personal research during my six years at Swansea ... and bey...Swan(sea) Song – personal research during my six years at Swansea ... and bey...
Swan(sea) Song – personal research during my six years at Swansea ... and bey...
 
04-2024-HHUG-Sales-and-Marketing-Alignment.pptx
04-2024-HHUG-Sales-and-Marketing-Alignment.pptx04-2024-HHUG-Sales-and-Marketing-Alignment.pptx
04-2024-HHUG-Sales-and-Marketing-Alignment.pptx
 
Understanding the Laravel MVC Architecture
Understanding the Laravel MVC ArchitectureUnderstanding the Laravel MVC Architecture
Understanding the Laravel MVC Architecture
 
Human Factors of XR: Using Human Factors to Design XR Systems
Human Factors of XR: Using Human Factors to Design XR SystemsHuman Factors of XR: Using Human Factors to Design XR Systems
Human Factors of XR: Using Human Factors to Design XR Systems
 
GenCyber Cyber Security Day Presentation
GenCyber Cyber Security Day PresentationGenCyber Cyber Security Day Presentation
GenCyber Cyber Security Day Presentation
 
Beyond Boundaries: Leveraging No-Code Solutions for Industry Innovation
Beyond Boundaries: Leveraging No-Code Solutions for Industry InnovationBeyond Boundaries: Leveraging No-Code Solutions for Industry Innovation
Beyond Boundaries: Leveraging No-Code Solutions for Industry Innovation
 
Presentation on how to chat with PDF using ChatGPT code interpreter
Presentation on how to chat with PDF using ChatGPT code interpreterPresentation on how to chat with PDF using ChatGPT code interpreter
Presentation on how to chat with PDF using ChatGPT code interpreter
 
#StandardsGoals for 2024: What’s new for BISAC - Tech Forum 2024
#StandardsGoals for 2024: What’s new for BISAC - Tech Forum 2024#StandardsGoals for 2024: What’s new for BISAC - Tech Forum 2024
#StandardsGoals for 2024: What’s new for BISAC - Tech Forum 2024
 
Slack Application Development 101 Slides
Slack Application Development 101 SlidesSlack Application Development 101 Slides
Slack Application Development 101 Slides
 
SQL Database Design For Developers at php[tek] 2024
SQL Database Design For Developers at php[tek] 2024SQL Database Design For Developers at php[tek] 2024
SQL Database Design For Developers at php[tek] 2024
 
Breaking the Kubernetes Kill Chain: Host Path Mount
Breaking the Kubernetes Kill Chain: Host Path MountBreaking the Kubernetes Kill Chain: Host Path Mount
Breaking the Kubernetes Kill Chain: Host Path Mount
 
Tech-Forward - Achieving Business Readiness For Copilot in Microsoft 365
Tech-Forward - Achieving Business Readiness For Copilot in Microsoft 365Tech-Forward - Achieving Business Readiness For Copilot in Microsoft 365
Tech-Forward - Achieving Business Readiness For Copilot in Microsoft 365
 
Handwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed texts
Handwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed textsHandwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed texts
Handwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed texts
 
SIEMENS: RAPUNZEL – A Tale About Knowledge Graph
SIEMENS: RAPUNZEL – A Tale About Knowledge GraphSIEMENS: RAPUNZEL – A Tale About Knowledge Graph
SIEMENS: RAPUNZEL – A Tale About Knowledge Graph
 
Enhancing Worker Digital Experience: A Hands-on Workshop for Partners
Enhancing Worker Digital Experience: A Hands-on Workshop for PartnersEnhancing Worker Digital Experience: A Hands-on Workshop for Partners
Enhancing Worker Digital Experience: A Hands-on Workshop for Partners
 
Key Features Of Token Development (1).pptx
Key  Features Of Token  Development (1).pptxKey  Features Of Token  Development (1).pptx
Key Features Of Token Development (1).pptx
 
08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking Men
08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking Men08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking Men
08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking Men
 
From Event to Action: Accelerate Your Decision Making with Real-Time Automation
From Event to Action: Accelerate Your Decision Making with Real-Time AutomationFrom Event to Action: Accelerate Your Decision Making with Real-Time Automation
From Event to Action: Accelerate Your Decision Making with Real-Time Automation
 
The Codex of Business Writing Software for Real-World Solutions 2.pptx
The Codex of Business Writing Software for Real-World Solutions 2.pptxThe Codex of Business Writing Software for Real-World Solutions 2.pptx
The Codex of Business Writing Software for Real-World Solutions 2.pptx
 
Azure Monitor & Application Insight to monitor Infrastructure & Application
Azure Monitor & Application Insight to monitor Infrastructure & ApplicationAzure Monitor & Application Insight to monitor Infrastructure & Application
Azure Monitor & Application Insight to monitor Infrastructure & Application
 

Increasing Perfomance via Gamification in a Volunteer-Based Evolutionary Computation System

  • 1. Increasing Performance via Gamification in a Volunteer-Based Evolutionary Computation System Mario García-Valdez1 , Juan J. Merelo Guervós2 , Lucero Lara1 , and Pablo García-Sánchez3 1 Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana 2 Universidad de Granada 3 Universidad de Cádiz
  • 3. Where do we run our EAs? !3
  • 4. –John Gage, Sun Microsystems “The Network is the Computer” !4
  • 6. Volunteer Computing Volunteers are anonymous As anonymous entities they are not accountable Volunteers must trust application providers Service providers must trust volunteers
  • 7.
  • 9. JavaScript in all devices Container Virtual Machine Laptop Ephemeral DeviceRepository of Tuples !9
  • 10. !10
  • 11. Gamification “Gamification is the process by which gaming concepts are brought to real world tasks associated with real people” Huotari, K., Hamari, J.: Defining gamification: a service marketing perspective. In: Proceeding of the 16th International Academic MindTrek Conference. pp. 17–22. ACM (2012).
  • 14. A Competition Gamification techniques in a volunteer context seeks to persuade users to use their natural desire to compete, learn and socialize in given non-game context application [5, 9]. By Making the rewards for tasks achievements visible to other players or providing leader boards are ways of encouraging players to compete [10].
  • 15. Issues Volunteers are no longer anonymous (we do not validate email). They need to create a session (cookie). More steps are needed.
  • 17. Experiment - Problem Each page visiting the experiment loads an HTTP Web Worker that runs a local island. An island is an evolutionary algorithm to solve a multi- modal problem called L-Trap which has been used extensively as a benchmark for evolutionary algorithms. 40 concatenated L-Traps After 100 Generations an HTTP PUT sends the best individual
  • 18. Experiment - Execution “Asking again for your help, we are conducting a computational experiment that requires computer power. Can we borrow some of your CPU? just visit the web page (link) and leave the tab open. Be part of the TOP TEN, register so we can track your participation. The experiment will run until November 27th, Thanks!.” Reached 2000+ people. Message included a deadline. After deadline only Top Volunteers were shown.
  • 19. Results Work is measured by the number of HTTP PUT requests Logarithmic scale Registered users in green Anonymous users in red 18 green vs 91 red
  • 20. Registered users shared more resources
  • 21. Registered users shared more time Registered Users (Green) Anonymous (Blue)
  • 22. Extreme users shared many CPUs (Workers) More than 30 workers for some time. Many browsers, tabs or even computers.
  • 23. Registered users shared many CPUs (Workers)
  • 24. Conclusions In this paper we have added gamification to a volunteer computing system via a leaderboard of contributions of registered users. After applying the gamification techniques, registered users participated much more intensely than anonymous ones. The fact that applying a gamification technique improved user participation highlights the social nature of volunteer computing systems, piling on the fact that successful social clouds must embed games and other social mechanisms to enhance participation.
  • 25. Future Work Since it is a socio-technical system, including social features in it and studying emerging social networks is an interesting line of work. Other factors, such as the language used, the way the experiment is announced, are also very important in this social context along with the study of the behavior of users as they are participating in the web system. Another line of work would be to study the possible negative effects of using gamification techniques to improve engagement, like cheating or literally gaming the system to defeat competition.