Non-personal Data Collection for Toy User Interfaces

Toy-user-interfaces (ToyUI) are computing devices or peripherals that leverage interactivity and connectivity with other devices to promote physical and social play. ToyUI products may collect both personal and non-personal data (NPD) on their users. We propose nine data patterns for NPD collection as part of ToyUI design based on the study of 297 ToyUI items from both the literature and industry. In addition, we introduce a printed circuit board (PCB) used for rapid prototyping that enabled NPD data collection concerning both objects and users by gathering non-personal identification, positioning system, and motion tracking. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our hardware architecture by embedding it into two design scenarios, namely, closed rules and open-ended rules solutions. The objectives here are to assist the ToyUI makers in creating more meaningful play experiences while ensuring the privacy of children’s and their parents’ data

A Journey through Virtual and Augmented Reality - Reviewing the SVR Symposia from 2004 to 2008

This article intends to provide a panorama of the BrazilianSymposium on Virtual and Augmented Reality (SVR) based on the analysis of its last four editions (2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008). We had reviewed the 124 full papers published in these four editions of the symposium and had analyzed them according to different criteria. These criteria include research topics, technologies used, and research approaches. The goal of this document is to draw an accurate picture of the research in this area in Brazil and try to provide insights about trends, deficiencies, and opportunities that may help guiding future efforts of the Brazilian research community in virtual and augmented reality

SiMoNa: A Proof-of-concept Domain-Specific Modeling Language for IoT Infographics

The Internet of Things (IoT)is a prominent concept in academic and technology business discourse in recent times reflecting a wider trend to connect physical objects to the Internet and to each other. This idea of connect things started in the beginning of the 2008 through RFID. But after the open hardware initiatives (as Arduino), it gained more visibility and access to experiments with sensors in the environment. The IoT is already generating an unprecedented volume of data in greater varieties and higher velocities. Making sense of such data is an emerging and significant challenge. Infographics are visual representations that provide a visual space for end users to compare and analyze data, information, and knowledge in a more efficient form than traditional forms. The nature of IoT requires a continuum modification in how end users see information to achieve such efficiency gains. Conceptualizing and implementing infographics in an IoT system can thus require significant planning and development for both data scientists, graphic designers and developers resulting in both costs in terms of time and effort. To address this problem, this paper presents SiMoNa, a domain-specific modeling language (DSML) to create, connect, interact, and build interactive infographic presentations for IoT systems efficiently based on the model-driven development (MDD) paradigm. The language and approach are validated using real-world use cases

IoT4Fun Rapid Prototyping Toolkit for Smart Toys

Rapid prototyping tools turn the design of smart toys faster and easier for creative teams. Appropriate tools for smart toys should meet a list of requirements, which include distributed data collection and adaptability for assorted toy shapes and size. The IoT4Fun toolkit innovates by mixing the embedded, modular, and plug-and-play approaches. It supports motion tracking data, wireless communication, and contactless identification. IoT4Fun demonstrates its effectiveness to design a variety of smart toy solutions by fitting into a hula-hoop toy until spherical, cubic, and wearable shapes. Solutions connect with either mobile applications or other toys and play rules range from open-ended to closed behaviors. End-users exhaustively tested developed solutions, and technical assessment evaluates their integrity after playtesting sessions. Results show comparative data on battery consumption and vulnerabilities threats for data security and privacy of each design. Future versions of IoT4Fun can benefit from miniaturization, robustness, and reliability improvements