When the game console in the basement went belly up we replaced it with a Sony Playstation 3. I was enamored with its processing power and thought it would be a great replacement. It has met my expectations as a sufficient replacement.
Outside of the gaming, the PS3s have a Folding@Home client installed and ready to run. Previous to purchasing the PS3, I had heard of the distributed computing effort to find extraterrestrial life known as SETI@Home but not Folding@Home. Much like SETI@Home, Folding@Home is a distributed computing project that makes use of your computer when you are not using it. The goal of the Folding@Home project/program is to find cures for diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. The project is sponsored by the University of Stanford.
Some links that may be interesting to you: