Conceptual Model for Serious Games Design: Case Study of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

The field of Serious Games (SGs) is relatively new; however, so far, these have focused more on assessing impacts on results rather than identifying the most appropriate implementation phases to obtain a successful SG. The present work proposes a conceptual model for the design of SGs, which is based on four stages: Analysis, Design, Development, and Evaluation, under the life cycle of the software. For the validation of the model, an SG called ATHYNOS was developed, which was applied in a case study comparing it with the traditional therapy. The results obtained allowed to demonstrate that the SGs is a complementary tool for the treatment of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).     Keywords: ATHYNOS, conceptual model, serious games design, attention deficit disorde

Characterization of the Physical Properties of the Coconut Fiber Residue With a View to its Agroindustrial Use

Ecuador is a multi-climatic country with the capacity to host a large number of plant species; one example is the coconut (Cocos nucifera), an ancestral food of tropical areas and warm climates, which is considered as raw material for various industrial processes, such as obtaining fats, oils, candies, etc. However, the external part of the coconut constituted by the bast or mesocarp has not been properly exploited. Coconut bast, which has high fiber content (coir fiber), from which three main types can be distinguished: long and thin, coarse, and shorter type, can become an agroindustrial alternative due to its mechanical properties. These properties are as good or better than synthetic fibers or polyester. This research therefore aims to characterize the physical parameters that determine the functionality of coconut fiber, such as its length, softness, brightness, color, diameter, and its appearance or slenderness, which is the relationship between length and diameter. This research also contributes to solving the environmental problem of waste generated by coconut production, moving towards a sustainable economy from an environmental point of view. This work determines that coconut fiber is composed of cellulose and wood that has low heat conductivity and impact resistance, and that its resistance and durability make it an adequate raw material in several production sectors. Keywords: coconut fiber, characterization, properties, agribusiness. Resumen El Ecuador es un país multi climático con la capacidad de alojar una gran cantidad de especies vegetales, un ejemplo de ello es el coco (Cocos nucifera) un alimento ancestral de zonas tropicales y climas cálidos, este es considerado como materia prima de diversos procesos industriales como obtención de grasas, aceites, confites, etc., sin embargo, la parte externa del coco constituida por la estopa o mesocarpio no ha sido correctamente explotada. La estopa del coco por su alto contenido de fibra (fibra bonote), de la cual se pueden distinguir tres tipos principales: una larga y fina, una tosca y una más corta, se convertir en una alternativa agroindustrial debido a sus propiedades físico - mecánicas que son tan buenas o mejores que fibras sintéticas o el poliéster. Esta investigación tuvo por objeto caracterizar los parámetros físicos que describan la funcionalidad de la fibra de coco como son su longitud, suavidad, brillo, color. Para lo cual se realizó un estadística descriptiva de medidas de tendencia central como la media, se analizaron un total de 10 muestras de fibra de coco tomadas al azar de los 15 Kg de fibra obtenida de 50 cocos, teniéndose como resultado que para la suavidad el 80% de los participantes la ubican en el octavo lugar y el restante 20% en el noveno, lo que permite inferir que se tara de una fibra gruesa, rígida y áspera, para el brillo y luminosidad el 90% de los observadores determinaron que la fibra no posee esta característica. El 70% de las panelistas delimitaron que el color característico de la fibra fue el café claro y el restante 30% la considera de color beige. Palabras clave: fibra de coco, caracterización, propiedades, agroindustria