GAFU: Using a gamification tool to save fuel

In this paper, we propose, implement and user-validate a training tool for saving fuel that uses some elements from games in order to promote efficient driving and provide feedback to the user. The proposed system uses a fuzzy logic system in order to assess the driving style from the point of view of the fuel consumption. The output is a score between 0 (not efficient) and 10 (efficient). This value can be compared with the scores obtained by other users of the solution that have similar characteristics in order to do a fair comparison and to obtain eco-driving advices adapted to the user's context and environment (e.g., braking frequency is greater on urban road than highway). Providing feedback to the user is essential in eco-driving systems for changing bad driving habits and not returning back to them. In our case, the system provides two types of feedback. The first type of feedback is provided in real time. When the user does not comply with some of a preconfigured set of eco-driving rules, he or she gets a warning message. The second type of feedback is based on a calculated relative score for each user according to his or her driving style, positioning the user into a ranking of eco-driving users and generating a set of eco-driving tips. A validation experiment has been conducted with 36 participants on three different routes in Spain. The results show that the use of gamification tools and techniques in eco-driving assistants helps drivers not to lose interest for fuel saving and helps them not to return back to their previous bad driving habits.The research leading to these results has received fund-ing from the “HERMES-SMART DRIVER” project TIN2013- 46801-C4-2-R within the Spanish “Plan Nacional de I+D+I” under the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competi-tividad funded projects (co-financed by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)) IRENE (PT-2012-1036- 370000), COMINN (IPT-2012-0883-430000) and REMEDISS (IPT-2012-0882-430000) within the INNPACTO program.Publicad

A Review of the Applicability of Gamification and Game-based Learning to Improve Household-level Waste Management Practices among Schoolchildren

Knowledge strongly affects attitudes toward waste management; thus, embedding an environmental mentality at a young age is crucial. Game-based interventions, such as gamification and game-based learning, have huge potential to be effective learning tools. This paper examines the potential of gamification to improve waste management practices among schoolchildren through a narrative review of 25 papers on gamification for waste management and gamification for schoolchildren. The effectiveness of game-based learning and gamification in mitigating waste management issues with schoolchildren has not yet been well-described in the literature; however, the evolving market in related sectors is a strong indication of their potential. A robust understanding of social and behavioral theories is necessary for implementing gamification and game-based learning effectively. Additionally, the game elements, design, and mechanics that can achieve the most positive impacts should be explored further. It is hoped that this study will contribute to the body of knowledge in the environmental sector on gamification as an innovative process for improving household-level waste management behavior among schoolchildren

Gameful Learning for a More Sustainable World – Measuring the Effect of Design Elements on Long-Term Learning Outcomes in Correct Waste Sorting

Municipal waste sorting is an important but neglected topic within sustainability-oriented Information Systems research. Most waste management systems depend on the quality of their citizens pre-sorting but lack teaching resources. Thus, it is important to raise awareness and knowledge on correct waste sorting to strengthen current efforts. Having shown promising results in raising learning outcomes and motivation in domains like health and economics, gamification is an auspicious approach to address this problem. The paper explores the effectiveness of gameful design on learning outcomes of waste sorting knowledge with a mobile game app that implements two different learning strategies: repetition and elaboration. In a laboratory experiment, the overall learning outcome of participants who trained with the game was compared to that of participants who trained with standard analogue non-game materials. Furthermore, the effects of two additional, learning-enhancing design elements – repetition and look-up – were analyzed. Learning outcome in terms of long-term retention and knowledge transfer were evaluated through three different testing measures two weeks after the training: in-game, through a multiple-choice test and real-life sorting. The results show that the game significantly enhanced the learning outcome of waste sorting knowledge for all measures, which is particularly remarkable for the real-life measure, as similar studies were not successful with regard to knowledge transfer to real life. Furthermore, look-up is found to be a promising game design element that is not yet established in IS literature and therefore should be considered more thoroughly in future research and practical implementations alike

Gameful Learning for a More Sustainable World

Municipal waste sorting is an important but neglected topic within sustainability-oriented Information Systems research. Most waste management systems depend on the quality of their citizens pre-sorting but lack teaching resources. Thus, it is important to raise awareness and knowledge on correct waste sorting to strengthen current efforts. Having shown promising results in raising learning outcomes and motivation in domains like health and economics, gamification is an auspicious approach to address this problem. The paper explores the effectiveness of gameful design on learning outcomes of waste sorting knowledge with a mobile game app that implements two different learning strategies: repetition and elaboration. In a laboratory experiment, the overall learning outcome of participants who trained with the game was compared to that of participants who trained with standard analogue non-game materials. Furthermore, the effects of two additional, learning-enhancing design elements – repetition and look-up – were analyzed. Learning outcome in terms of long-term retention and knowledge transfer were evaluated through three different testing measures two weeks after the training: in-game, through a multiple-choice test and real-life sorting. The results show that the game significantly enhanced the learning outcome of waste sorting knowledge for all measures, which is particularly remarkable for the real-life measure, as similar studies were not successful with regard to knowledge transfer to real life. Furthermore, look-up is found to be a promising game design element that is not yet established in IS literature and therefore should be considered more thoroughly in future research and practical implementations alike

Understanding the Effects of Gamification and Juiciness on Players

Gamification is widely applied to increase user engagement and motivation, but empirical studies on effectivenessare inconclusive, and often limited to the integration of tangible elements such as leaderboards or badges. In this paper, we report findings from a study with 36 participants that uses the lens of Self-Determination Theory to compare traditional gamification elements, and the concept of juiciness (the provision of abundant audiovisual feedback) in the VR simulation Predator!. Results show that gamification and juiciness improve user experience, but that only juiciness fulfills all basic psychological needs that facilitate intrinsic motivation when applied in nongaming settings. User preferences favour the combination of both approaches, however, neither improved performance, and there is evidence of juicy elements influencing user behaviour. We discuss implications of these findings for the integration of gamification, reflect on the role of both approaches in the context of feedback, and outline challenges and opportunities for further research. Index Term

Artemisa: a personal driving assistant for fuel saving

In this paper, we propose a driving assistant that makes recommendations in order to reduce the fuel consumption. The solution only requires a smartphone and an OBD/Bluetooth device. Eco-driving advices try to avoid situations that cause an increase in the fuel consumption such as inappropriate speed or slow reaction to the detection of traffic signs and traffic incidents. The main contribution of this paper is the use of artificial intelligence techniques in order to issue the eco-driving tips that are best adapted to the user profile, the characteristics of the vehicle, and the road state conditions. This is very important because the driver may lose the interest due to the high requirements that tend to be provided by general use eco-driving assistants. In order to properly assess and validate the proposed solution, it has been implemented on several Android mobile devices and has been validated using a dataset of 2,250 driving tests using three different models of vehicles with 25 different drivers on three distinct routes. The results show that the system reduces the fuel consumption by 11.04 percent on average and even, in certain cases, the fuel saving is greater than 15 percent.The research leading to these results has received funding from the “HERMES-SMART DRIVER” project TIN2013-46801-C4-2-R within the Spanish “Plan Nacional de I+D+I” under the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and from the Spanish Ministerio de Economíıa y Competitividad funded projects (co-financed by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)) IRENE (PT-2012-1036-370000), COMINN (IPT-2012-0883-430000), and REMEDISS (IPT-2012-0882-430000) within the INNPACTO program

PeppeRecycle: Improving Children’s Attitude Toward Recycling by Playing with a Social Robot

In this paper, we investigate the use of a social robot as an engaging interface of a serious game intended to make children more aware and well disposed towards waste recycle. The game has been designed as a competition between the robot Pepper and a child. During the game, the robot simultaneously challenges and teaches the child how to recycle waste materials. To endow the robot with the capability to play as a game opponent in a real-world context, it is equipped with an image recognition module based on a Convolutional Neural Network to detect and classify the waste material as a child would do, i.e. by simply looking at it. A formal experiment involving 51 primary school students is carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the game in terms of different factors such as the interaction with the robot, the users’ cognitive and affective dimensions towards ecological sustainability, and the propensity to recycle. The obtained results are encouraging and draw promising scenarios for educational robotics in changing children’s attitudes toward recycling. Indeed Pepper turns out to be positively evaluated by children as a trustful and believable companion and this allows children to be concentrated on the “memorization” task during the game. Moreover, the use of real objects as waste items during the game turns out to be a successful approach not only for perceived learning effectiveness but also for the children’s engagement

The Labor of Play: the Political Economy of Computer Game Culture

This dissertation questions the relationship between computer game culture and ideologies of neoliberalism and financialization. It questions the role computer games play in cultivating neoliberal practices and how the industry develops games and systems making play and work indistinguishable activities. Chapter 1 examines how computer game inculcate players into neoliberal practice through play. In chapter 2, the project shows Blizzard Entertainment systematically redevelops their games to encourage perpetual play aimed at increasing the consumption of digital commodities and currencies. Chapter 3 considers the role of esports, or professional competitive computer game play, to disperse neoliberal ideologies amongst nonprofessional players. Chapter 4 examines the streaming platform Twitch and the transformation of computer gameplay into a consumable commodity. This chapter examines Twitch’s systems designed at making production and consumption inseparable practices. The dissertation concludes by examining the economic, conceptual, and theoretical collapses threatening game culture and the field of game studies