| Eyewire | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Sebastian Seung of Princeton University (formerly Massachusetts Institute of Technology) |
| Director(s) | Amy Sterling |
| Platform(s) | Webbrowser (WebGL) |
| Release | December 10, 2012 |
| Genre(s) | Puzzle, Citizen Science |
Eyewire is a citizen science game from Sebastian Seung's Lab at Princeton University. It is a human-based computation game that uses players to map retinal neurons. Eyewire launched on December 10, 2012. The game utilizes data generated by the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research.[1]
Eyewire gameplay is used for neuroscience research by enabling the reconstruction of morphological neuron data, which helps researchers model information-processing circuits.[2][3]
The player is given a cube with a partially reconstructed neuron branch stretching through it. The player completes the reconstruction by coloring a 2D image with a 3D image generated simultaneously. Reconstructions are compared across players as each cube is submitted, yielding a consensus reconstruction that is later checked by experienced players.
Eyewire is used to advance the use of artificial intelligence in neuronal reconstruction.[4] The project is also used in research determining how mammals see directional motion.[5][6]
The activity of each neuron in a 350 × 300 × 60 μm3 portion of a retina was determined by two-photon microscopy.[7] Using serial block-face scanning electron microscopy, the same volume was stained to bring out the contrast of the plasma membranes, sliced into layers by a microtome, and imaged using an electron microscope.
A neuron is selected by the researchers. The program chooses a cubic volume associated with that neuron for the player, along with an artificial intelligence's best guess for tracing the neuron through the two-dimensional images.[8]
Eyewire has been featured by Wired,[18] Nature's blog SpotOn,[19] Forbes,[20] Scientific American,[21] and NPR.[22]