Assessing Adaptive Learning Styles in Computer Science Through a Virtual World

abstract: Programming is quickly becoming as ubiquitous and essential a skill as general mathematics. However, many elementary and high school students are still not aware of what the computer science field entails. To make matters worse, students who are introduced to computer science are frequently being fed only part of what it is about rather than its entire construction. Consequently, they feel out of their depth when they approach college. Research has discovered that by teaching computer science and programming through a problem-driven approach and focusing on a combination of syntax and computational thinking, students can be prepared when entering higher levels of computer science education. This thesis describes the design, development, and early user testing of a theory-based virtual world for computer science instruction called System Dot. System Dot was designed to visually manifest programming instructions into interactable objects, giving players a way to see coding as tangible entities rather than text on a white screen. In order for System Dot to convey the true nature of computer science, a custom predictive recursive descent parser was embedded in the program to validate any user-generated solutions to pre-defined logical platforming puzzles. Steps were taken to adapt the virtual world to player behavior by creating a system to detect their learning style playing the game. Through a dynamic Bayesian network, System Dot aims to classify a player’s learning style based on the Felder-Sylverman Learning Style Model (FSLSM). Testers played through the first half of System Dot, which was enough to test out the Bayesian network and initial learning style classification. This classification was then compared to the assessment by Felder’s Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire (ILSQ). Lastly, this thesis will also discuss ways to use the results from the user testing to implement a personalized feedback system for the virtual world in the future and what has been learned through the learning style method.Dissertation/ThesisMasters Thesis Computer Science 201

One-shot ultraspectral imaging with reconfigurable metasurfaces

One-shot spectral imaging that can obtain spectral information from thousands of different points in space at one time has always been difficult to achieve. Its realization makes it possible to get spatial real-time dynamic spectral information, which is extremely important for both fundamental scientific research and various practical applications. In this study, a one-shot ultraspectral imaging device fitting thousands of micro-spectrometers (6336 pixels) on a chip no larger than 0.5 cm$^2$, is proposed and demonstrated. Exotic light modulation is achieved by using a unique reconfigurable metasurface supercell with 158400 metasurface units, which enables 6336 micro-spectrometers with dynamic image-adaptive performances to simultaneously guarantee the density of spectral pixels and the quality of spectral reconstruction. Additionally, by constructing a new algorithm based on compressive sensing, the snapshot device can reconstruct ultraspectral imaging information ($\Delta\lambda$/$\lambda$~0.001) covering a broad (300-nm-wide) visible spectrum with an ultra-high center-wavelength accuracy of 0.04-nm standard deviation and spectral resolution of 0.8 nm. This scheme of reconfigurable metasurfaces makes the device can be directly extended to almost any commercial camera with different spectral bands to seamlessly switch the information between image and spectral image, and will open up a new space for the application of spectral analysis combining with image recognition and intellisense

An Automated Blood Pressure Display for Self-Measurement in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease (iHealth Track): Device Validation Study

[Abstract] Background: Hypertension is a global public health issue and is closely related to chronic kidney disorder (CKD). In people with CKD, strict monitoring of blood pressure is an important part of therapy. Objective: The aim of this research was to validate the iHealth Track blood pressure monitoring device for patients with CKD according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol 2010 (ESH-IP2). Methods: In total, 33 patients who received hemodialysis in Plasencia participated in the study. There were 9 successive measurements made, which conformed to the ESH-IP2. We calculated the differences between the standard reference device (Omron M3 Intellisense) and the test device (iHealth Track) for blood pressure and heart rate values. For 99 total comparisons of paired measurements, we classified differences into various categories (≤5 mmHg, ≤10 mmHg, and ≤15 mmHg for blood pressure; ≤3, ≤5, and ≤8 beats per minute for heart rate). Results: In 90 of 99 systolic blood pressure and 89 of 99 diastolic blood pressure comparisons between the devices, measurement differences were within 5 mmHg. In 81 of 99 heart rate comparisons between the devices, measurement differences were within 3 beats per minute. The mean differences between the test and reference standard measurements were 3.27 (SD 2.99) mmHg for systolic blood pressure, 3.59 (SD 4.55) mmHg for diastolic blood pressure, and 2.18 (SD 2.75) beats per minute for heart rate. We also observed that for both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, 31 of 33 participants had at least two of three comparisons between the devices with measurement differences less than 5 mmHg. For heart rate, 28 of 33 patients had at least two of three comparisons between the devices with measurement differences less than 3 beats per minute. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that iHealth Track meets the requirements of the ESH-IP2 in patients with CKD. Therefore, the iHealth Track is suitable for use in renal patients

Introducing Programming In The AIS Course: Creating And Coding An Expert System Using Visual Basic.NET

The primary purpose of this paper is to provide a stand-alone, introductory tutorial exercise that can be used to give AIS students a very basic understanding of Visual Basic.NET.  The tutorial demonstrates Visual Basic.NET in the context of developing a simple expert system to evaluate loans, thus giving the student exposure to expert systems concepts and design as well.  This paper provides a discussion of the potential reasons for including an introduction to programming in the AIS course, gives more detail about the tutorial and provides guidance for its use in the classroom

QardioArm Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor Against Omron M3 Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease : A Validation Study According to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol Revision 2010

[Abstract] Background: Hypertension is considered as a main risk factor for chronic kidney disease development and progression. Thus, the control and evaluation of this disease with new software and devices are especially important in patients who suffer from chronic kidney disease. Objective: This study aimed to validate the QardioArm mobile device, which is used for blood pressure (BP) self-measurement in patients who suffer from chronic kidney disease, by following the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol 2 (ESH-IP2) guidelines. Methods: A validation study was carried out by following the ESH-IP2 guidelines. A sample of 33 patients with chronic kidney disease self-measured their BP by using the QardioArm and Omron M3 Intellisense devices. Heart rate (HR), diastolic BP, and systolic BP were measured. Results: The QardioArm fulfilled the ESH-IP2 validation criteria in patients who suffered from chronic kidney disease. Conclusions: Thus, this study is considered as the first validation using a wireless upper arm oscillometric device connected to an app to measure BP and HR meeting the ESH-IP2 requirements in patients who suffer from chronic kidney disease. New validation studies following the ESH-IP2 guidelines should be carried out using different BP devices in patients with specific diseases

Component Filter for .NET WinForms

Tato bakalářská práce se zabývá návrhem a implementací komponenty umožňující filtrování dat. Data jsou nejčastěji organizována prostřednictvím databáze. Ta může být umístěna lokálně u klienta, nebo na straně serveru. Komponenta podporuje oba typy úložišť. V případě vzdálené databáze mohou být filtrační kritéria aplikována již na serveru, tedy ještě před tím, než jsou samotná data přenesena ke klientovi. Práce dále popisuje obecné řešení problému a konkrétní implementaci. Komponenta je vyvinuta v jazyce C# pro běhové prostředí .NET. Všechny části aplikace, včetně grafického rozhraní, jsou navrženy a zde popsány s ohledem na jednoduché použití a rozšiřitelnost.This bachelor thesis focuses on the design and the implementation of a component allowing to filter data. These are in most occasions organised using a database. This can be stored localy at a client, or on a server. The component supports both types of storage. If the database is stored on a server, the filtering criteria can be applied on the server itself even before transfering the data to the client. Furthermore the thesis describes a general solution of the problem and a specific implementation. The component is developped in the C# language for running environment .NET. All the parts of the application, including the graphic user interface, are designed and described with regard to an easy use and expansibility.