DreamLab needs data to download the tiny research problems from the cloud, and send the results back.

If your phone detects that WiFi is available, then DreamLab will work over WiFi. WiFi is automatically set to ‘unlimited’ but you can change this any time in the app Settings.

If WiFi is not available, then DreamLab will work over your mobile network, using data up to the monthly data contribution limit you have chosen (50MB, 250MB, 500MB or 1GB). If you don’t want DreamLab to ever use your mobile data, you can turn mobile data off in the app Settings.

For Vodafone Local Market customers, it’s free to use DreamLab on the Vodafone network in Romania (but if you’re also contributing over WiFi, you’ll be charged as per your WiFi plan). Roaming incurs international rates.

For everyone else, you’ll be charged as per your mobile plan for the data you contribute. Just be mindful, DreamLab works on a calendar month, which might not be in sync with your billing cycle. You can see when your DreamLab monthly cycle will restart in the app settings. DreamLab will pause when you reach the monthly data limit that you’ve chosen. At this point, you’ll be given the choice to increase your data contribution, turn on WiFi, or do nothing and DreamLab will resume again the next calendar month.

Roaming on a mobile network incurs international rates – including for Vodafone Romania customers.

On Android devices only, the app requests access to photos, media, and files permission in order to store the tiny research problems whilst they are being processed and solved by your phone. DreamLab will only access the files it has created in the files directories. DreamLab will not access any of your private information or photos to be able to solve tiny research problems.

On iOS devices, DreamLab does not access any of your private information.

You can read the DreamLab privacy policy in the App Settings.

DreamLab will work automatically when your phone is plugged in and charging. For iOS, you must press play to engage the app once the phone is plugged in and the app is open; on Android, the application will start once your battery is fully charged. Prolonged use of DreamLab does not cause battery degradation over time, however, battery usability and capacity is affected by a combination of individual mobile handling, hardware and software use. For more information and tips on your Smartphone’s battery, consult your Phone’s User Manual.

No. The app has been designed to only use a small amount of power from your phone under normal and recommended conditions. If your phone reaches a certain temperature, DreamLab will pause and will only start again once your phone has reached a lower optimal temperature. For more information on recommended conditions and tips, consult your Smartphone’s User Manual.

DreamLab has been built with functionality to help prevent screen burn-in, by automatically dimming the screen on iOS after 15 minutes of activity . Some iOS phone have further capability involving pixel-shifting, which also prevents burn in. As each smartphone is different, please consult your Phone’s User Manual.

A more technical version of how it works.

Our research partners have uploaded large research problems to the DreamLab cloud (hosted by Amazon Web Services). Once a user has downloaded and set up the DreamLab app, their phone will download a tiny piece of the research problem (hundreds of KB). A novel algorithm built by our research partners, allows your phone to crunch the research problem, using your phone’s computing power. To find out more about the project that your phone is helping to crunch, visit the Project tab in the DreamLab app. The combination of a large community (that’s you!), coupled with big data analytic algorithms, makes this revolutionary form of research possible.

How is DreamLab different to other grid computing systems and apps?

Since 2002, BOINC and other platforms have enabled people from around the world to donate the processing power of their desktop computers and gaming consoles to help solve research problems. The BOINC platform was extended to Android devices in 2013. DreamLab uses a world first and custom built solution (i.e. does not use BOINC) that crunches our research partners projects. DreamLab is the first of its kind to be available for Android and iOS.

How does DreamLab help fast track research?

One thing slowing cancer and genomics research is the limited access researchers have to supercomputers to crunch their complex data. DreamLab gives our research partners free access to a dedicated virtual supercomputer to accelerate research into cancer and genomics. It also frees up in-house computing resources for other research activity. To find out about the projects that DreamLab currently supports, visit the Project tab in the app.

Which research organisations does DreamLab support?

To find out about the research partners that DreamLab currently supports, visit the Project tab in the app. Vodafone Romania Foundation supports research institutes around the world, among which Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Australia, Imperial College London in the United Kingdom or Istituto Firc di Oncologia Molecolare in Italy.

What research project can I support?

You can choose to support any of the projects contained within the app. You can find out more about the projects, by clicking on the Projects tab in the app. As these projects near completion, new projects will be added to the app for you to support.

Can I change which research project I’m supporting?

Yes, you can, just visit the Projects tab in the app, and make your choice. You can only support one project at a time, but you can change at any stage.

How does DreamLab work faster than super computers?

Based on our tests, 33 new devices will analyse the same amount data about as fast as a CPU core of a typical research organisation’s in-house supercomputer.

A personal computer that would work 24 hours a day would take 300 years to analyse all the information needed for such a study, while 100,000 smartphones running, each of them, 6 hours a night could get the same results in three months.

What is the goal of DreamLab?

DreamLab aims to help researchers crunch their complex data, to speed up the pace of research discovery. DreamLab is currently focussed on supporting research relating to cancer and/or genomics.

How else can I support the research?

To find out how else you can support one of our research partners, click on their logo from the Projects tab in the app.

Whose cancer / genetic information does DreamLab analyse?

DreamLab analyses somatic mutations from cancer patients that has been de-identified for research purposes.

How many research problems will my phone solve each night?

It depends on how powerful your phone is, and how many hours it’s plugged in and charging. As a guide, a new device will solve approximately 1,800 tiny research problems if plugged in and fully charged for six hours. Over a month, it would use just over 500MB of data.

Can other research organisations get involved in using DreamLab?

In the future we aim to enable DreamLab to support other research projects and organisations around the world to help solve other important research questions.

How do I start using DreamLab?

On Android devices, download DreamLab from Google Play. DreamLab will automatically start when your phone is plugged in to charge and reaches 80% charged, or you can press play anytime.

On iOS devices, download DreamLab from the App Store. DreamLab will start when you press play within the application, and place your phone down, without pressing the home or lock buttons. If you press home, open another application, or use your phone, DreamLab will stop. You can start it again by pressing play. If you have auto lock set up on your phone, it will not be activated whilst using DreamLab. For more information, please consult your Smartphone’s User Manual.

In order for DreamLab to work in Romanian, you must have the phone set in this language before downloading the app.

How do I stop using DreamLab?

Disconnect your phone from charge, or press stop. To stop using DreamLab permanently, uninstall the app.

I live in another country, can I still use DreamLab?

Yes, the DreamLab app can be downloaded from anywhere in the world. You’ll be charged as per your mobile or WiFi plan for the data you contribute, unless you’re with Vodafone Romania in which case the mobile data to use DreamLab is free on the Vodafone network in Romania.

Will DreamLab use data from my mobile plan, or WiFi?

DreamLab needs data to download the tiny research problems from the cloud, and send the results back.

If your phone detects that WiFi is available, then DreamLab will work over WiFi. WiFi is automatically set to ‘unlimited’ but you can change this any time in the app Settings.

If WiFi is not available, then DreamLab will work over your mobile network, using data up to the monthly data contribution limit you have chosen (50MB, 250MB, 500MB or 1GB). If you don’t want DreamLab to ever use your mobile data, you can turn the mobile data off in the app Settings. Please contact your phone services provider regarding your plan’s data charges.

For Vodafone Romania customers, it’s free to use DreamLab on the Vodafone network in Romania (but if you’re also contributing over WiFi, you’ll be charged as per your WiFi plan). Roaming incurs international rates.

For everyone else, you’ll be charged as per your mobile plan for the data you contribute. Just be mindful, DreamLab works on a calendar month, which might not be in sync with your billing cycle. You can see when your DreamLab monthly cycle will restart in the app settings. DreamLab will pause when you reach the monthly data limit that you’ve chosen. At this point, you’ll be given the choice to increase your data contribution, turn on WiFi, or do nothing and DreamLab will resume again the next calendar month.

Roaming on a mobile network incurs international rates – including for Vodafone Romania customers.

How much data will DreamLab use?

It’s up to you. On your mobile network, you can choose to give up to 50MB, 250MB, 500MB or 1GB a month. For WiFi, you can choose to give up to 250MB, 1GB or ‘unlimited’ a month. You can change how much data you contribute at any time in the DreamLab app Settings. As a guide, 50MB is about the same as uploading 25 photos to social media a month. 500MB is approximately equivalent to streaming a video for 1.5 hours a month. 1GB is similar to streaming a video for 3 hours a month. You can see how much data DreamLab has used and when your DreamLab month will restart in the app Settings.

How much will it cost me to use DreamLab?

For Vodafone Romania customers, it’s free to use DreamLab on the Vodafone Romania network (but if you’re also contributing over WiFi, you’ll be charged as per your WiFi plan). Roaming incurs roaming rates – including for Vodafone Romania customers.

For everyone else, you’ll be charged for the data you contribute each month as per the plan you have with your mobile phone or WiFi provider. Just be mindful, DreamLab works on a calendar month, which might not be in sync with your billing cycle. You can see when your DreamLab month will restart in the app Settings. Please contact your phone services provider regarding your plan’s data charges.

Why does DreamLab need data to work?

Whilst you’re donating the processing power of your Smartphone, DreamLab needs data to download the tiny research problems from the cloud, and to send the results back. However, you’re in total control and can choose how much you contribute each month on your mobile network, or on WiFi. You can change your monthly data contribution limit in the app Settings at any time.

How do I only use DreamLab over WiFi?

Go to the DreamLab app Settings and turn mobile data off.

How do I only use DreamLab over my mobile network?

Go to the DreamLab app Settings and turn WiFi off.

What happens when DreamLab has reached the monthly data contribution limit I’ve set?

When you reach the data limit you’ve set, DreamLab will give you the option to increase your data limit, or do nothing, and DreamLab will automatically start again the next month.

My mobile phone provider has alerted me that I’m running low on data for my billing cycle. What should I do with DreamLab?

If you’re not with Vodafone Romania and you’re running low on mobile data you can turn off the mobile data contribution in the DreamLab app Settings so that DreamLab does not utilise any more mobile data. If you’re with Vodafone Romania and receive an alert regarding your mobile usage, as it’s free to use DreamLab on the Vodafone Romania network in Romania, you can continue to use DreamLab without penalty.

I’m with Vodafone. How do I know I’m not being charged for the mobile data DreamLab uses?

For Vodafone Romania customers, the mobile data to use DreamLab is free on the Vodafone Romania network. It won’t even appear on your bill. The data used to solve research problems is sent to a dedicated server that is tagged with a unique rating group by Vodafone to ensure that customers are not charged for this data usage. It won’t count towards your monthly data allowance.

If you’ve chosen to also give over WiFi, then you’ll be charged for this data as per the plan you have with your WiFi provider.

Roaming incurs roaming rates – including for Vodafone Romania customers.

I’m travelling overseas. What should I do with DreamLab?

Using DreamLab when roaming will incur international rates.

On Android devices, in the app Settings DreamLab is set to default OFF when roaming on a mobile network, which means if you are roaming, DreamLab won’t solve research problems using your mobile data. However, if you have WiFi set to ON in the app Settings, DreamLab will continue to work on WiFi when overseas. If you would not like to use DreamLab on WiFi when overseas, you can turn WiFi OFF in the app Settings.

On iOS devices, do not press play to start DreamLab whilst roaming to avoid roaming charges. You can also turn the mobile data off in the app Settings.

I live overseas, can I still use DreamLab?

Yes, the DreamLab app can be downloaded from anywhere in the world. You’ll be charged as per your mobile or WiFi plan for the data you contribute, unless you’re with Vodafone Romania, in which case the mobile data to use DreamLab is free on the Vodafone Romania network.

Is the data I donate through DreamLab tax deductible?

You are contributing your Device’s computing power and a small amount of data which is required to download and upload the tiny research problems from the cloud to your handset. You are not making a tax-deductible donation to the Research Partner. Vodafone Foundation or the Research Partner will not issue a tax receipt for any computing power and data contributions made through DreamLab.

DreamLab isn’t working, how do I get help?

First, have a read of these FAQs. If you still need help, please visit the DreamLab app Settings to Send Feedback. Your feedback will be incorporated into updates and future releases of DreamLab.

How do I report a bug or issue?

Please visit the DreamLab app Settings to Send Feedback. Your feedback will be incorporated into updates and future releases of DreamLab.

Will it work on my device?

DreamLab will work on iPhone devices with iOS 10 and later, and Android devices with “KitKat” v4.4 and later. DreamLab is not compatible with other Smartphone operating systems, such as Windows, Symbian OS, Blackberry and other.

Will it access private information on my phone?

On Android devices only, the app requests access to photos, media, and files permission in order to store the tiny research problems whilst they are being processed and solved by your phone. DreamLab will only access the files it has created in the files directories. DreamLab will not need access any of your private information or photos to be able to solve tiny research problems.

On iOS devices, DreamLab does not need access to any of your private information. DreamLab uses the processing power of your smart phone to solve research problems and allows you to remain anonymous while doing so.

You can read the DreamLab privacy policy in the App Settings.

Will it cause screen burn-in?

DreamLab has been built with functionality to help prevent screen burn-in, by automatically dimming the screen on iOS after 15 minutes of activity . Some iOS phone have further capability involving pixel-shifting, which also prevents burn in. As each smartphone is different, please consult your Phone’s User Manual.

Will it drain my battery?

DreamLab will work automatically when your phone is plugged in and charging. For iOS, you must press play to engage the app once the phone is plugged in and the app is open; on Android, the application will start once your battery is fully charged. Prolonged use of DreamLab does not cause battery degradation over time, however, battery usability and capacity is affected by a combination of individual mobile handling, hardware and software use. For more information and tips on your Smartphone’s battery, consult your Phone’s User Manual.

Will it slow my phone or interfere with me using my phone as normal?

On Android devices, you can still use your phone as normal whilst powering DreamLab app. The app will automatically start when your phone is plugged in to charge and reaches 80% charged, or you can press Play anytime.

On iOS devices, DreamLab will start when you press Play within the application, and place your phone down, without pressing the Home or Lock buttons. If you press home, open another application, or use your phone, DreamLab will stop. You can start it again by pressing Play. If you have auto lock set up on your phone, it will not be activated whilst using DreamLab.

How much memory will it use?

Memory usage will vary significantly depending on what device you are using and what you are doing while DreamLab is running. Your operating system will prioritise memory based on your usage. For more information and tips, consult your Smartphone’s User Manual.

Will it cause my phone to overheat?

No. The app has been designed to only draw a small amount of power from your phone under normal and recommended conditions. If your phone reaches a certain temperature, DreamLab will pause and will only start again once your phone has reached a lower optimal temperature. For more information on recommended conditions and tips, consult your Smartphone’s User Manual.

Can I use DreamLab on a tablet?

Yes, if you have the operating system requirements. For more information and tips, consult your tablet’s User Manual.

Can I use DreamLab on my computer?

No, currently DreamLab is only supported on iOS and Android devices.

Will my personal information be used for medical research?

No. DreamLab analyses mutations from cancer patients that has been de-identified for research purposes.

What happens if I change phones?

You will need to re-install DreamLab to continue using it. Your contribution tallies will start again at zero.

What happens if I change mobile phone providers?

If you have kept your existing handset, then you can continue using DreamLab. If you have a new handset, you’ll need to re-install DreamLab again. Your contribution tallies will start again at zero.

For Vodafone Romania customers, it’s free to use DreamLab on the Vodafone network in Romania (but if you’re also contributing over WiFi, you’ll be charged as per your WiFi plan). Roaming incurs international rates.

Will DreamLab impact the Vodafone Local Market network?

No. Vodafone’s network has been built for streaming, roaming, and now - speeding up cancer and COVID-19 research.

What personal information does DreamLab collect

DreamLab does not access any of your private information or collect personal information.

On Android devices only, the app requests access to photos, media, and files permission in order to store the tiny research problems whilst they are being processed and solved by your phone. DreamLab will only access the files it has created in the files directories. DreamLab will not access any of your private information or photos to be able to solve tiny research problems.

On iOS devices, DreamLab does not need access to any of your private information. DreamLab uses the processing power of your smart phone to solve research problems and allows you to remain anonymous while doing so.

You can read the DreamLab privacy policy in the app Settings.

DreamLab is part of Vodafone Foundation’s global “Connecting for Good” program, which promotes the use of connectivity to drive change.

DreamLab was originally developed by Vodafone Australia to support Garvan Institute of Medical Research’s world-class cancer genomics research. DreamLab has now been brought to Romania by Vodafone Romania Foundation, who will bring on local research partners for users to support in the near future.

The ongoing goal for DreamLab is to speed up more important cancer and genomics research using the power of the Smartphone.

The DreamLab server is powered by AWS. The app was built by the clever team at b2cloud.