Auto-explanation system : player satisfaction in strategy-based board games

In computerised version of board games, player satisfaction can beaugmented by providing explanation of what the computer based AI analytical processes are. This helps the players to understand the reasoning behind the action taken by the computer AI opponent. This paper proposes a method that provides the mechanism for a game AI to communicate its evaluation processes using descriptive auto-explanation through symbolic reasoning. A case study ispresented in an implementation of a game AI opponent that is capable of describing its inferential processes in a tabletop war game

Player adaptive entertainment computing (PAEC) : mechanism to model user satisfaction by using neuro linguistic programming (NLP) techniques

The concept of Player Adaptive Entertainment Computing (PAEC) is introduced to provide personalized experiences when interacting with the entertainment media.Two of the important areas in PAEC are to create specific targeted strategies to cater for individual user, and to perform personalization. To accomplish this, a suitable mechanism to model user experience is required. This is explored in a case study using Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) that models the NLP spatial anchors of experiences of a sample group of users during game play. These NLP anchors are reconstructed during game play of a second group of users allowing them to experience the same level satisfaction as the first sample group

Gamification of commonplace learning activities : a case study in educational robotics in competitive arenas

Gamification is the utilisation of game-mechanics and game-solving methods to engage audience. It is applied to commonplace activities where such activity is not commonly associated to the nature of game play, for example, learning mathematics, undertaking science laboratory experiments, completing a spreadsheet and designing software algorithms. Fundamentally, gamification of a specific learning activity does not modify the material content, but enhance the value of the learning activity. This inherently becomes the motivation for students to undertake the learning activity in order to solve the given problem space. In this position paper, the framework of a commonplace learning activity will be formalised and expanded to include the application of gamification. The groundwork for gamification is then adopted in a competitive arena. Competitive arenas are a well-defined problem space that provides well-structured problems to allow students to carry out test and multiple attempts at solving the given challenge. Similarly to competitive sports (hence, the name arena), the competitive nature of the problem space engages and drives students to be involved in the learning activity. Three case studies are discussed that demonstrates the viability and initial attempts in the application of gamification in the context of educational robotics. This includes urban search and rescue, soccer playing robots and problem based arena

Framework for educational robotics : a multiphase approach to enhance user learning in a competitive arena

Educational robotics involves using robots as an educational tool to provide along term, and progressive learning activity, to cater to different age group. The current concern is that, using robots in education should not be an instance of a one-off project for the sole purpose of participating in a competitive event. Instead, it should be a sustainable long-term progression spanning the primary school to pre-university level. This article presents a framework for robotics using a multiphase approach to enhance user learning in a competitive arena

Framework for educational robotics : a multiphase approach to enhance user learning in a competitive arena

Educational robotics involve using robots as an educational tool to provide a long term, and progressive learning activity, to cater to different age group. The current concern is that, using robots in education should not be an instance of a one-off project for the sole purpose of participating in competitive event. Instead it should be a sustainable long term progression spanning the primary school to pre-university level. This paper presents a framework for robotics using a multiphase approach to enhance user learning in a competitive arena

The flipped workshop : inverting the teaching and learning environment for problem solving using educational robotics

Educational robotics has been adopted by educators at every level of education, from primary to tertiary sectors in support of teaching and learning of technology based courses. Its popularity stems from the inherent nature of the field of robotics to provide learners the opportunity to exercise creativity and innovative approaches in problem-based learning. However, the very persistent demand for this type of education technology has caused an unrealistic level of expectation from both teachers and learners that may be a challenge to fulfill. These challenges may include differences in: age groups, learning styles, prerequisite skills, exposure and opportunities. As can be seen from the above premise, the activities in teaching or carrying out these workshops or classes requires many access points to cater to the existing differences. How can a teacher minimise the differences to accommodate all the different type of learners? A framework has been proposed that can adapt and diffuse the prevailing differences. The framework introduces the flipped classroom, specifically adapted to carry out workshops and classes using educational robotics as a medium to teach technology related lessons. As its name suggest, a flipped classroom delivers the teaching and learning session sequences in reverse. That is, in its simplest form: instead of a teacher teaching a class which subsequently lead to students attempting to solve problems as found in conventional classes, a flipped classroom is where students first attempt to solve and learn at their own pace, to be subsequently followed up by a teacher’s supervision. The notion of an inverted classroom allows for independent learning and exploration. This framework leads to both effective teaching and learning. The flipped classroom approach was applied to workshops with participants from across high schools, undergraduates, Honours and postgraduate levels. Robot-based challenges such as search and rescue and robosoccer were some of the problems given to these students to solve. Results shown were encouraging. Even though originating from different backgrounds, students who were entering the programme from different access points were able to quickly adapt and benefit from the flipped classroom approach

Framework for robotics in education : some experiences and case studies in test arena based projects

The utilization of robots as an educational medium in teaching and learning has in recent times become prominent. This paper presents a framework identifying the necessary constructs that establishes a sustainable model for using test arenas in educational robotics as an educational tool. Several successful implementations of this framework are demonstrated, covering projects and research activities ranging from advanced level software engineering courses to higher research degree. Areas of the project includes, search and rescue, intelligent navigation, search and detection and computer-aided learning (CAL) to design and build competitive dancing and soccer playing robots

Complex game design modeling

This paper looks at the game design and engineering approach to model the game design. The game modeling framework discussed in this paper could be a systematic alternative for implementing in the game engine architecture. The suggested game modeling framework incorporates structural game component, temporal game component and boundary game component frameworks. It is suitable to model most complex games and game engines

Decreased maternal serum acetate and impaired fetal thymic and regulatory T cell development in preeclampsia

Maternal immune dysregulation seems to affect fetal or postnatal immune development. Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-associated disorder with an immune basis and is linked to atopic disorders in offspring. Here we show reduction of fetal thymic size, altered thymic architecture and reduced fetal thymic regulatory T (Treg) cell output in preeclamptic pregnancies, which persists up to 4 years of age in human offspring. In germ-free mice, fetal thymic CD4+ T cell and Treg cell development are compromised, but rescued by maternal supplementation with the intestinal bacterial metabolite short chain fatty acid (SCFA) acetate, which induces upregulation of the autoimmune regulator (AIRE), known to contribute to Treg cell generation. In our human cohorts, low maternal serum acetate is associated with subsequent preeclampsia, and correlates with serum acetate in the fetus. These findings suggest a potential role of acetate in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia and immune development in offspring. © 2019, The Author(s)

Elevated preoperative heart rate is associated with cardiopulmonary and autonomic impairment in high-risk surgical patients

Background: Elevated preoperative heart rate (HR) is associated with perioperative myocardial injury and death. In apparently healthy individuals, high resting HR is associated with development of cardiac failure. Given that patients with overt cardiac failure have poor perioperative outcomes, we hypothesized that subclinical cardiac failure, identified by cardiopulmonary exercise testing, was associated with elevated preoperative HR > 87 beats min-1(HR > 87). Methods: This was a secondary analysis of an observational cohort study of surgical patients aged ≥45 yr. The exposure of interest was HR > 87, recorded at rest before preoperative cardiopulmonary exercise testing. The predefined outcome measures were the following established predictors of mortality in patients with overt cardiac failure in the general population: ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide (V E/V co2) ratio ≥34, heart rate recovery ≤6 and peak oxygen uptake (V o2) ≤14 ml kg-1min-1. We used logistic regression analysis to test for association between HR > 87 and markers of cardiac failure. We also examined the relationship between HR > 87 and preoperative left ventricular stroke volume in a separate cohort of patients. Results: HR > 87 was present in 399/1250 (32%) patients, of whom 438/1250 (35%) had V E/V co2ratio ≥34, 200/1250 (16%) had heart rate recovery ≤6, and 396/1250 (32%) had peak V o2≤14 ml kg-1min-1. HR > 87 was independently associated with peak V o2≤14 ml kg-1min-1{odds ratio (OR) 1.69 [1.12-3.55]; P=0.01} and heart rate recovery ≤6 (OR 2.02 [1.30-3.14]; P 87 was not associated with V E/V co2ratio ≥34 (OR 1.31 [0.92-1.87]; P=0.14). In a separate cohort, HR > 87 (33/181; 18.5%) was associated with impaired preoperative stroke volume (OR 3.21 [1.26-8.20]; P=0.01). Conclusions: Elevated preoperative heart rate is associated with impaired cardiopulmonary performance consistent with clinically unsuspected, subclinical cardiac failure. Clinical trial registration. ISRCTN88456378