Re:Image processing/pattern recognition? (Score 1)

The reason they don't use image recognition software is that it won't work in this case. In order to use this kind of software to work, they would need to "teach" it what particle track looks like, using existing particle tracks. But here's the problem: particles like this have never been collected, so nobody knows exactly what the tracks will look like! The sample images that they're using to train users are approximations, created by particle accellerators shooting particles into aerogel. This is close enough to teach humans, but not good enough to teach a machine. So right now distributed computing is the only known way to find these particles. You can read all about this at http://www.planetary.org/programs/projects/innovat ive_technologies/stardustathome/stardustathome_sto ry.html.