Combined Time and Information Redundancy for SEU-Tolerance in Energy-Efficient Real-Time Systems

Recently the trade-off between energy consumption and fault-tolerance in real-time systems has been highlighted. These works have focused on dynamic voltage scaling (DVS) to reduce dynamic energy dissipation and on time redundancy to achieve transient-fault tolerance. While the time redundancy technique exploits the available slack time to increase the fault-tolerance by performing recovery executions, DVS exploits slack time to save energy. Therefore we believe there is a resource conflict between the time-redundancy technique and DVS. The first aim of this paper is to propose the usage of information redundancy to solve this problem. We demonstrate through analytical and experimental studies that it is possible to achieve both higher transient fault-tolerance (tolerance to single event upsets (SEU)) and less energy using a combination of information and time redundancy when compared with using time redundancy alone. The second aim of this paper is to analyze the interplay of transient-fault tolerance (SEU-tolerance) and adaptive body biasing (ABB) used to reduce static leakage energy, which has not been addressed in previous studies. We show that the same technique (i.e. the combination of time and information redundancy) is applicable to ABB-enabled systems and provides more advantages than time redundancy alone

Mobile gaming patterns and their impact on learning outcomes: A literature review

Schmitz, B., Klemke, R., & Specht, M. (2012). Mobile gaming patterns and their impact on learning outcomes: A literature review. In A. Ravenscroft, S. Lindstaedt, C. D. Kloos, & D. Hérnandez-Leo (Eds.), Proceedings of 7th European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning (EC-TEL 2012) (pp. 419-424). September, 18-21, 2012, Saarbrücken, Germany.Mobile learning games have increasingly been topic of educational research with the intention to utilize their manifold and ubiquitous capabilities for learning and teaching. This paper presents a review of current research ac-tivities in the field. It particularly focuses is on the educational values serious mobile games provide. The study results substantiate their generally assumed motivational potential. Also, they indicate that mobile learning games may have the potential to bring about cognitive learning outcomes

Effects of mobile gaming patterns on learning outcomes: a literature review

Schmitz, B., Klemke, R., & Specht, M. (2012). Effects of mobile gaming patterns on learning outcomes: A literature review. International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 4(5-6), 345-358. doi:10.1504/IJTEL.2012.051817Within the past decade, a growing number of educational scientists have started to recognize the multifaceted potential that mobile learning games have as a tool for learning and teaching. This paper presents a review of current research on the topic to better understand game mechanisms with regard to learning outcomes. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, we introduce a framework of analysis which is based on previous work on game design patterns for mobile games and on learning outcomes. The framework focuses on two aspects, motivation and knowledge gain. Second, we present a set of patterns which we identified in the literature and that positively influence these two aspects. Our results support the general assumption that mobile learning games have potential to enhance motivation. It reveals that game mechanisms such as Collaborative Actions or Augmented Reality provide incentive to get engaged with learning and/or a certain topic. With regard to knowledge gain, results are less comprehensive

A Learning Outcome-oriented Approach towards Classifying Pervasive Games for Learning using Game Design Patterns and Contextual Information

Schmitz, B., Klemke, R., & Specht, M. (in press). A Learning Outcome-oriented Approach towards Classifying Pervasive Games for Learning using Game Design Patterns and Contextual InformationMobile and in particular pervasive games are a strong component of future scenarios for teaching and learning. Based on results from a previous review of practical papers, this work explores the educational potential of pervasive games for learning by analysing underlying game mechanisms. In order to determine and classify cognitive and affective learning outcomes, we propose employing game design patterns for mobile games and context information. Context information, in the course of this article, is introduced as an additional characteristic feature of mobile game design patterns. With the proposed framework we aim at understanding how pervasive game content may support learning. Findings from our research indicate that context information directs the use and presentation of content within a game and thus influences learning effects of individual patterns. This work perorates with a discussion on the shortfalls and potentials, which our framework for analysis provides

The impact of coupled games on the learning experience of learners at-risk: An empirical study

Offering pervasive game-based learning scenarios to at-risk learners is considered effective and motivating. This experimental study offers a detailed example of an educational setting that couples a mobile game with a PC browser game. It evaluates how this coupling supports engagement and learning for the target group. Nineteen participants aged between 17 and 21 years played and explored the game. The findings through seven-week gaming indicate that coupled games have potential to increase learners’ interest in a topic and can support learning activities

Considering Power Variations of DVS Processing Elements for Energy Minimisation in Distributed Systems

Dynamic voltage scaling (DVS) is a powerful technique to reduce power dissipation in embedded systems. Some efficient DVS algorithms have been recently proposed for the energy reduction in distributed system. However, they achieve the energy savings solely by scaling the system task with respect to the timing constraints, while neglecting that power varies among the tasks executed by DVS processing elements (DVS-PEs). In this paper we investigate the problem of considering DVS-PE power variations dependent on the executed tasks, during the synthesis of distributed embedded systems and its impact on the energy savings. Unlike previous approaches, which minimise the energy consumption by exploiting the available slack time without considering the PE power profiles, a new and fast heuristic for the voltage scaling problem is proposed, which improves the voltage selection for each task dependent on the individual power dissipation caused by that task. Experimental results show that energy reductions with up to 80.7% are achieved by integrating the proposed DVS algorithm, which considers the PE power profiles, into the co-synthesis of distributed systems

Low Power Process Assignment for Distributed Embedded Systems using Dynamic Voltage Scaling

This paper presents an efficient algorithm for voltage scaling of an distributed embedded system taking communicating processes into account. The algorithm finds scaled voltages for each processes without restricting the applicable voltage levels apriori. In addition the algorithm is not limited by a fixed power consumption among processes. Furthermore we show the importance of a process optimisation which is optimised for the dynamic voltage scaling (DVS) technique. Various examples from the literature and randomly generate show the efficiency of the proposed scaling algorithm and the DVS optimised process assignment

Attuning a mobile simulation game for school children using a design-based research approach

We report on a design-based research study that was conducted over nine months. It chronicles the development and implementation of HeartRun, a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training approach for school children. Comparable to an unexpected emergency, HeartRun consists of authentic activities involving different roles, game tasks, locations and physical objects to support process-oriented learning for first responders. It aims to enhance the psychological preparedness of the rescuer and thus promotes a more prompt and appropriate response. In this paper, we describe a cycle of three design-based research (DBR) studies in which HeartRun was explored with school children. In order to better understand how to design mobile game environments that support dimensions of seamless learning, we analysed children and their knowledge-building practices while learning with HeartRun. The mobile game has evolved significantly from its initial conception through an iterative process of (re) designing and testing the synchronization between physical and digital worlds, learner collaboration and ubiquitous knowledge access, i.e. dimensions of mobile seamless learning activities. Based on our experiences, we conclude by discussing challenges and shortcomings of mobile game-based learning environments.This research was financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), regions of the Euregio Meuse-Rhine and the participating institutions under the INTERREG IVa programme (EMR.INT4-1.2.-2011-04/070, http://www.emurgency.eu)