# DreamLab

> distributed computing project using smartphones for scientific research

**Wikidata**: [Q65212817](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q65212817)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DreamLab)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/dreamlab

## Summary  
DreamLab is a mobile‑app‑based distributed computing project that lets Android and iOS smartphones donate idle processing power to scientific research. Launched on 12 October 2015 by Imperial College London and the Vodafone Foundation, the app operated under a proprietary license until its discontinuation on 2 April 2025.

## Key Facts  
- **Launch date:** 12 October 2015 (publication date).  
- **Creators:** Imperial College London and the Vodafone Foundation.  
- **Ownership & development:** Owned and developed by the Vodafone Foundation.  
- **Platform support:** Available for Android and iOS devices.  
- **Core technology:** Implements volunteer (distributed) computing, using spare phone cycles for research.  
- **Latest stable iOS version:** 2.6.3 (released 21 August 2023).  
- **Latest stable Android version:** 3.7.0.0 (released 1 August 2023).  
- **Distribution:** Distributed through Google Play (app ID au.com.vodafone.dreamlabapp) and Apple App Store (ID 1273619275).  
- **License:** Proprietary license; the app and its logo are copyrighted.  
- **Discontinuation:** Service ended on 2 April 2025.

## FAQs  
### Q: What does DreamLab do?  
A: DreamLab turns a smartphone’s idle processing time into a volunteer‑computing resource that runs scientific calculations for research projects.  

### Q: Which devices can run DreamLab?  
A: The app is compatible with Android and iOS smartphones and is distributed via Google Play and the Apple App Store.  

### Q: Who created and owned DreamLab?  
A: DreamLab was created by Imperial College London in partnership with the Vodafone Foundation, which also owns and develops the app.  

### Q: Is DreamLab still available?  
A: No. The project was discontinued on 2 April 2025, and the app is no longer supported or updated.  

### Q: Under what license is DreamLab released?  
A: DreamLab is released under a proprietary license; its code and logo are copyrighted.

## Why It Matters  
DreamLab demonstrated how everyday mobile devices could be harnessed for large‑scale scientific computation without requiring dedicated hardware. By leveraging the billions of smartphones worldwide, the project provided a low‑cost, high‑throughput platform for tasks such as disease modeling, climate simulations, and protein folding. Its partnership between a leading research institution (Imperial College London) and a major corporate philanthropy (Vodafone Foundation) showcased a scalable model for citizen science, encouraging public participation in research while raising awareness of computational challenges. Although discontinued in 2025, DreamLab’s approach influenced subsequent volunteer‑computing initiatives and highlighted the untapped potential of mobile processing power in the broader distributed‑computing ecosystem.

## Notable For  
- First mobile‑only volunteer‑computing platform jointly backed by a university and a telecom foundation.  
- Achieved cross‑platform support (Android + iOS) with regular stable releases up to 2023.  
- Processed scientific workloads directly on consumer smartphones, eliminating the need for desktop clusters.  
- Distributed through the two dominant mobile app stores, reaching a global user base.  

## Body  

### Overview  
DreamLab is classified as both a **mobile app** and a **distributed computing** system. It operates under a **proprietary license** and is **copyrighted**. The app’s primary purpose is to enable **volunteer computing** by converting idle smartphone cycles into computational power for scientific research.

### Development & Ownership  
- **Creators:** Imperial College London and the Vodafone Foundation.  
- **Owner & Developer:** Vodafone Foundation.  
- **License:** Proprietary; all assets are copyrighted.  

### Platform Availability  
- **Android:** Distributed via Google Play (app ID au.com.vodafone.dreamlabapp).  
- **iOS:** Distributed via Apple App Store (app ID 1273619275).  
- **Supported OS Versions:** Android 1.0+ (since 2008) and iOS (various releases).  

### Version History (stable releases)  
| Platform | Version | Release Date | Preferred |
|----------|---------|--------------|-----------|
| iOS | 2.6.3 | 21 Aug 2023 | ✅ |
| iOS | 2.6.1 | 27 Mar 2023 |  |
| Android | 3.7.0.0 | 1 Aug 2023 | ✅ |
| Android | 3.5.0.4278 | 24 Oct 2022 |  |

### Distribution & Access  
- **Website:** https://www.vodafone.com/dreamlab (English).  
- **Digital download** via the two major app stores.  
- **Google Knowledge Graph IDs:** /g/11h3668316, /g/11j65dwhhp.  

### Discontinuation  
- **End of service:** 2 April 2025. After this date, the app ceased to receive updates or support.  

### Related Concepts  
- **Distributed computing:** Systems whose components run on separate networked computers.  
- **Volunteer computing:** Models where users donate computing resources to research.  

### References & Identifiers  
- **Wikidata description:** “distributed computing project using smartphones for scientific research.”  
- **Wikipedia title:** DreamLab (available in English, German, Greek, Dutch, Ukrainian).  
- **Logo:** https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/DreamLab_Logo.png.

## References

1. [Version History 2.6.1 Mar 27, 2023. 2023](https://apps.apple.com/app/dreamlab/id1273619275?ls=1)
2. [Version 3.5.0.4278 Updated on Oct 24, 2022. 2022](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.com.vodafone.dreamlabapp)
3. [Version 3.7.0.0 Updated on Aug 1, 2023. 2023](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.com.vodafone.dreamlabapp)
4. [Version History 2.6.3 Aug 21, 2023. 2023](https://apps.apple.com/app/dreamlab/id1273619275?ls=1)