Experience-driven MAR games: Personalising Mobile Augmented Reality games using Player Models

PhD ThesesWe are witnessing an unprecedented growth of Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) technologies, one of the main research areas being MAR games. While this field is still in its early days, researchers have shown the physical health benefits of playing these type of games. Computational models have been used in traditional (non-AR) digital games to predict player experience (PX). These models give designers insights about PX, and can also be used within games for real-time adaptation or personalised content generation. Following these findings, this thesis investigates the potential of creating models that use movement data and game metrics to predict PX. An initial pilot study is conducted to evaluate the use of movement data and game metrics to predict players’ emotional preferences between different game levels of an exploration-based MAR game. Results indicate that emotional preferences regarding frustration (≈ 93%) and challenge (≈ 93%) can be predicted to a reliable and reasonable degree of accuracy. To determine if these techniques can be applied to serious games for health, an AR exergame is developed for experiments two, three and four of this thesis. The second and third experiments aim to predict key experiential constructs, player competence and immersion, that are important to PX. These experiments further validate the use of movement data and game metrics to model different aspects of PX in MAR games. Results suggest that players’ competence (≈ 73%) and sense of mastery (≈ 81%) can be predicted to a reasonable degree of accuracy. For the final experiment, this mastery model is used to create a dynamic difficulty adaptation (DDA) system. The adaptive exergame is then evaluated against a non-adaptive variant of the same game. Results indicate that the adaptive game makes players feel a higher sense of confidence during gameplay and that the adaptation mechanics are more effective for players who do not engage in regular physical activity. Across the four studies presented, this thesis is the first known research activity that investigates using movement data and game metrics to model PX for DDA in MAR games and makes the following novel contributions: i) movement data and game metrics can be used to predict player’s sense of mastery or competence reliably compared to other aspects of PX tested, ii) mastery-based game adaptation makes players feel greater confidence during game-play, and iii) mastery-based game adaptation is more effective for players who do not engage in physical activity. This work also presents a new methodology for PX prediction in MAR games and a novel adaptation engine driven by player mastery. In summary, this thesis proposes that PX modelling can be successfully applied to MAR games, especially for DDA which results in a highly personalised PX and shows potential as a tool for increasing physical activity

Versatile Cold Atom Source for Multi-Species Experiments

We present a dual-species oven and Zeeman slower setup capable of producing slow, high-flux atomic beams for loading magneto-optical traps. Our compact and versatile system is based on electronic switching between different magnetic field profiles and is applicable to a wide range of multi-species experiments. We give details of the vacuum setup, coils and simple electronic circuitry. In addition, we demonstrate the performance of our system by optimized, sequential loading of magneto-optical traps of lithium-6 and cesium-133.Comment: 7 pages, 10 figure

PlayMapper: Illuminating design spaces of platform games

© 2019 IEEE. In this paper, we present PlayMapper, a novel variant of the MAP-Elites algorithm that has been adapted to map the level design space of the Super Mario Bros game. Our approach uses player and level based features to create a map of playable levels. We conduct an experiment to compare the effect of different sets of input features on the range of levels generated using this technique. In this work, we show that existing search-based techniques for PCG can be improved to allow for more control and creative freedom for designers. Current limitations of the system and directions for future work are also discussed

Are You Open? : A Content Analysis of Transparency and Openness Guidelines in HCI Journals

Within the wider open science reform movement, HCI researchers are actively debating how to foster transparency in their own field. Publication venues play a crucial role in instituting open science practices, especially journals, whose procedures arguably lend themselves better to them than conferences. Yet we know lit- tle about how much HCI journals presently support open science practices. We identified the 51 most frequently published-in jour- nals by recent CHI first authors and coded them according to the Transparency and Openness Promotion guidelines, a high-profile standard of evaluating editorial practices. Results indicate that jour- nals in our sample currently do not set or specify clear openness and transparency standards. Out of a maximum of 29, the modal score was 0 (mean = 2.5, SD = 3.6, max = 15). We discuss potential reasons, the aptness of natural science-based guidelines for HCI, and next steps for the HCI community in furthering openness and transparency

Modelling player preferences in AR mobile games

© 2019 IEEE. In this paper, we use preference learning techniques to model players' emotional preferences in an AR mobile game. This exploratory study uses player behaviour to make these preference predictions. The described techniques successfully predict players' frustration and challenge levels with high accuracy while all other preferences tested (boredom, excitement and fun) perform better than random chance. This paper describes the AR treasure hunt game we developed, the user study conducted to collect player preference data, analysis performed, and preference learning techniques applied to model this data. This work is motivated to personalize players' experiences by using these computational models to optimize content creation and game balancing systems in these environments. The generality of our technique, limitations, and usability as a tool for personalization of AR mobile games is discussed

Chalkones: reactivity of some aryl alkoxystyryl ketones and their dihalides

An investigation of the reaction of some aryl alkoxystyryl ketones and their dihalides has shown that the alkoxystyryl nucleus, if free from halogen, is readily halogenated. Potassium iodide in acetone removes the side-chin halogen from the chalkone dihalides, and this reaction can be used to determine the position of the halogen in the nucleus. The side-chin halogen atom adjacent to the numceus containing the alkoxy-group is readily replaced by alkoxyl on treatment with alcohols. The dihalides with alcoholic potassium cyanide give b-aroyl-a-phenylpropionitriles. With bases the chalkone dohalides give a-halogenostyryl derivatives and b-alkoxystyryl ketones. The production of isooxazoles from the dihalides by the action of hydroxyl-amine and the condensation of the chalkones with acetoacetic ester have also been examined. The production of benzylidenecoumaranones in place of flavones from o-hydroxy- or o-acetoxy-phenyl alkoxy-phenyl alkoxystyryl ketone dibromides probably depends on whether or no a b-alkoxy-compund is intermediately formed

A critical role of helix 3–helix 5 interaction in steroid hormone receptor function

The ligand-binding domains of steroid hormone receptors possess a conserved structure with 12 α-helices surrounding a central hydrophobic core. On agonist binding, a repositioned helix 12 forms a pocket with helix 3 (H3) and helix 5 (H5), where transcriptional coactivators bind. The precise molecular interactions responsible for activation of these receptors remain to be elucidated. We previously identified a H3–H5 interaction that permits progesterone-mediated activation of a mutant mineralocorticoid receptor. We were intrigued to note that the potential for such interaction is widely conserved in the nuclear receptor family, indicating a possible functional significance. Here, we demonstrate via transcriptional activation studies in cell culture that alteration of residues involved in H3–H5 interaction consistently produces a gain of function in steroid hormone receptors. These data suggest that H3–H5 interaction may function as a molecular switch regulating the activity of nuclear receptors and suggest this site as a general target for pharmacologic intervention. Furthermore, they reveal a general mechanism for the creation of nuclear receptors bearing increased activity, providing a potentially powerful tool for the study of physiologic pathways in vivo