4,344 research outputs found
Utilizing a Modular Approach to Gamification to Improve Nutrition and Fitness in Children
Obesity is a worldwide epidemic that affects adults and children, impacts over 30% of the population in several states of the U.S., damages national economies, and is a factor in four out of the six of the leading causes of death, including diabetes and heart disease. Obesity is preventable: solution approaches include better education, more exercise, better nutrition, and changing eating habits. Still, it is difficult for many people to remain interested enough to educate themselves and to learn new behaviors to change their eating and exercise habits.
Gamification is a relatively new research area that involves using video game mechanisms to make applications such as work, education, and behavior change seem less like a job and more like entertainment.
The objective of this thesis is to develop a system for gamifying the process of education and behavior change aimed at reducing obesity in children. The approach involved identifying requirements, developing a methodology, implementing a suite of games, developing a common application program interface and integration framework so that metrics from the games could form a user progress model that is securely sharable with parents, educators, and health professionals. The idea is that as users get better at playing the game, they will get healthier. We specified the following requirements for the framework and suite of games: large domain coverage in the areas of nutrition and fitness; extensibility and scalability; user diversity; measurability and metrics; and security and privacy. A working prototype at http://www.edufitment.com demonstrates the framework and the games developed so far. Future work will involve refining the game content coverage with the help of domain experts, adding more games, and deploying and testing the framework on the Internet
HyperCell: A Bio-inspired Design Framework for Real-time Interactive Architectures
This pioneering research focuses on Biomimetic Interactive Architecture using âComputationâ, âEmbodimentâ, and âBiologyâ to generate an intimate embodied convergence to propose a novel rule-based design framework for creating organic architectures composed of swarm-based intelligent components. Furthermore, the research boldly claims that Interactive Architecture should emerge as the next truly Organic Architecture. As the world and society are dynamically changing, especially in this digital era, the research dares to challenge the Utilitas, Firmitas, and Venustas of the traditional architectural Weltanschauung, and rejects them by adopting the novel notion that architecture should be dynamic, fluid, and interactive. This project reflects a trajectory from the 1960âs with the advent of the avant-garde architectural design group, Archigram, and its numerous intriguing and pioneering visionary projects. Archigramâs non-standard, mobile, and interactive projects profoundly influenced a new generation of architects to explore the connection between technology and their architectural projects. This research continues this trend of exploring novel design thinking and the framework of Interactive Architecture by discovering the interrelationship amongst three major topics: âComputationâ, âEmbodimentâ, and âBiologyâ. The project aims to elucidate pioneering research combining these three topics in one discourse: âBio-inspired digital architectural designâ. These three major topics will be introduced in this Summary.
âComputationâ, is any type of calculation that includes both arithmetical and nonarithmetical steps and follows a well-defined model understood and described as, for example, an algorithm. But, in this research, refers to the use of data storage, parametric design application, and physical computing for developing informed architectural designs. âFormâ has always been the most critical focus in architectural design, and this focus has also been a major driver behind the application computational design in Architecture. Nonetheless, this research will interpret the term âFormâ in architecture as a continual âinformation processorâ rather than the result of information processing. In other words, âFormâ should not be perceived only as an expressive appearance based computational outcome but rather as a real-time process of information processing, akin to organic âFormationâ. Architecture embodying kinetic ability for adjusting or changing its shape with the ability to process the surroundings and feedback in accordance with its free will with an inherent interactive intelligent movement of a living body. Additionally, it is also crucial to address the question of whether computational technologies are being properly harnessed, if they are only used for form-generating purposes in architecture design, or should this be replaced with real-time information communication and control systems to produce interactive architectures, with embodied computation abilities?
âEmbodimentâ in the context of this research is embedded in Umberto Ecoâs vision on Semiotics, theories underlying media studies in Marshall McLuhanâs âBody Extensionâ (McLuhan, 1964), the contemporary philosophical thought of âBody Without Organsâ (Gilles Deleuze and FĂ©lix Guattari, 1983), the computational Logic of âSwarm Behaviorâ and the philosophical notion of âMonadologyâ proposed by Gottfried Leibniz (Leibniz, 1714). Embodied computation and design are predominant today within the wearable computing and smart living domains, which combine Virtual and Real worlds. Technical progress and prowess in VR development also contribute to advancing 3D smart architectural design and display solutions. The proposed âOrganic body-like architectural spacesâ emphasize upon the realization of a body-like interactive space. Developing Interactive Architecture will imply eliciting the collective intelligence prevalent in nature and the virtual world of Big Data. Interactive Architecture shall thus embody integrated Information exchange protocols and decision-making systems in order to possess organic body-like qualities.
âBiologyâ, in this research explores biomimetic principles intended to create purposedriven kinetic and organic architecture. This involves a detailed study/critique of organic architecture, generating organic shapes, performance optimization based digital fabrication techniques and kinetic systems. A holistic bio-inspired architecture embodies multiple performance criteria akin to natural systems, which integrate structural, infrastructure performances throughout the growth of an organic body. Such a natural morphogenesis process of architectural design explores what Janine M. Benyus described as âlearning the natural processâ. Profoundly influenced by the processes behind morphogenesis, the research further explores Evolutionary Development Biology (Evo-Devo) explaining how embryological regulation strongly affect the resulting formations. Evo-Devo in interactive architecture implies the development of architecture based on three fundamental principles: âSimple to Complexâ, âGeometric Information Distributionâ, and âOn/Off Switch and Trigger.â
The research seeks to create a relatively intelligent architectural body, and the tactile interactive spatial environment by applying the extracted knowledge from the study of the aforementioned principles of Evo-Devo in the following fashion:
A. Extract a Self-Similar Componential System based approach from the âSimple to Complexâ principle of Evo-Devo
B. Extract the idea of âCollective Intelligenceâ from âGeometric information Distributionâ principle of Evo-Devo
C. Extract the principle of âAssembly Regulationâ from âOn/Off switch and triggerâ principle of Evo-Devo
The âHyperCellâ research, through an elaborate investigation on the three aforementioned topics, develops a design framework for developing real-time adaptive spatial systems. HyperCell does this, by developing a system of transformable cubic elements which can self-organize, adapt and interact in real-time. These Hypercells shall comprise an organic space which can adjust itself in relation to our human bodies. The furniture system is literally reified and embodied to develop an intra-active space that proactively provokes human movement. The space thus acquires an emotive dimension and can become your pet, partner, or even friend, and might also involve multiple usabilities of the same space. The research and its progression were also had actively connected with a 5-year collaborative European Culture project: âMetaBodyâ.
The research thus involves exploration of Interactive Architecture from the following perspectives: architectural design, digital architectural history trajectory, computational technology, philosophical discourse related to the embodiment, media and digital culture, current VR and body-related technology, and Evolutionary Developmental Biology. âHyperCellâ will encourage young architects to pursue interdisciplinary design initiatives via the fusion of computational design, embodiment, and biology for developing bio-inspired organic architectures
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