Scientists in the MIST: Simplifying Interface Design for End Users

We are building a Malleable Interactive Software Toolkit (MIST), a tool set and infrastructure to simplify the design and construction of dynamically-reconfigurable (malleable) interactive software. Malleable software offers the end-user powerful tools to reshape their interactive environment on the fly. We aim to make the construction of such software straightforward, and to make reconfiguration of the resulting systems approachable and manageable to an educated, but non-specialist, user. To do so, we draw on a diverse body of existing research on alternative approaches to user interface (UI) and interactive software construction, including declarative UI languages, constraint-based programming and UI management, reflection and data-driven programming, and visual programming techniques

Preliminary ISIS users manual

The Interactive Software Invocation (ISIS), an interactive data management system, was developed to act as a buffer between the user and host computer system. The user is provided by ISIS with a powerful system for developing software or systems in the interactive environment. The user is protected from the idiosyncracies of the host computer system by providing such a complete range of capabilities that the user should have no need for direct access to the host computer. These capabilities are divided into four areas: desk top calculator, data editor, file manager, and tool invoker

Service oriented interactive media (SOIM) engines enabled by optimized resource sharing

In the same way as cloud computing, Software as a Service (SaaS) and Content Centric Networking (CCN) triggered a new class of software architectures fundamentally different from traditional desktop software, service oriented networking (SON) suggests a new class of media engine technologies, which we call Service Oriented Interactive Media (SOIM) engines. This includes a new approach for game engines and more generally interactive media engines for entertainment, training, educational and dashboard applications. Porting traditional game engines and interactive media engines to the cloud without fundamentally changing the architecture, as done frequently, can enable already various advantages of cloud computing for such kinds of applications, for example simple and transparent upgrading of content and unified user experience on all end-user devices. This paper discusses a new architecture for game engines and interactive media engines fundamentally designed for cloud and SON. Main advantages of SOIM engines are significantly higher resource efficiency, leading to a fraction of cloud hosting costs. SOIM engines achieve these benefits by multilayered data sharing, efficiently handling many input and output channels for video, audio, and 3D world synchronization, and smart user session and session slot management. Architecture and results of a prototype implementation of a SOIM engine are discussed

The perceptions of KUIM’s (Kolej Universiti Islam Malaysia) first year undergraduates in learning English using ‘tell me more’ software

The use of technology in language learning has expanded rapidly worldwide during the last few decades. Studies on the effects of technology enhanced instruction on achievement and studies on students’ attitudes regarding learning with technology have also increasingly been reported (Salaberry, 2001). Technology includes computermediated communication via email, incorporated task-based Internet activities,interactive publisher-produced CD-ROM, interactive software, threaded discussions and many others. This paper focuses on the perceptions of students at Kolej Universiti Islam Malaysia (KUIM) towards learning English as a second language using ‘Tell Me More’ software. This software has been used in KUIM for many years and for the past few semesters, it has been made compulsory for all first year undergraduates to self-access the software for at least an hour per week. Various feedbacks were received but most of the responses were positive. Most of the respondents favoured learning English using the software, but they still preferred conventional classroom English lessons

Echo's body: play and representation in interactive music software

This paper examines Hans Georg Gadamer's theory of play (as it is presented in Truth and Method) and adapts it to the context of interactive music software. I aim to show that interactive technological environments afford play in ways which, because they relate to truth and selfhood, are cognitively and philosophically significant and are not 'merely' playful