As a computer scientist, Cappos has developed a completely different way to cloud compute.
In typical cloud computing, users connect to a powerful, centralized data center. But Cappos’ cloud is less of a dense thunder-head and more of a fog. His system, called Seattle, connects devices directly to one another in decentralized network, relaying information more quickly than it could through a single, often distant exchange point. “It lets you use a little bit of disk storage, network, memory, and CPU in an isolated, safe way,” he says. Because Seattle allows users to access the Net with foreign IP addresses, it enables developers to view their sites or apps as they would in other countries. That ability is also particularly valuable to individuals who wish to avoid local censorship.
By the end of 2012, Seattle had 20,000 users. Cappos and colleagues are now working on software that could access the sensors in smart phones as well. Scientists could use it to test new apps, such as an earthquake monitor that uses a phone’s accelerometer (加速计)to measure quake intensity. Soon, Cappos hopes to use Seattle to surf the Net from the International Space Station too.
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