Chen Kim Lim

Learning History Using Role-Playing Game (RPG) on Mobile Platform

Mobile learning is one of the most convenient approaches in e-learning as it is accessible from virtually anywhere. This paper describes our experience in designing and implementing a framework for a mobile learning application that can assist students in understanding history lesson using role-playing game (RPG) approach. The implementation is based on the narrative of a Malaysian legendary warrior, Merong Mahawangsa. This application was developed on an iOS platform and a crowd simulation technique was used in the application in order to make it more interactive and realistic. The Dijkstra shortest path algorithm was used to search the shortest path for the avatar to move around. Initial investigations suggest that applying the RPG concept has indeed provided a much better learning environment especially in helping students in learning their history lessons.

Simulation of past life: Controlling agent behaviors from the interactions between ethnic groups

Many efforts have been carried out in preserving the history and culture of Penang and also other regions of Malaysia since George Town was elected as a UNESCO living heritage city. This paper presents a method to simulate life in a local trading port in the 1800s, where various populations with very different social rules interacted with each other. These populations included Indian coolies, Malay vendors, British colonists and Chinese traders. The challenge is to model these ethnic groups as autonomous agents, and to capture the changes of behavior due to inter-ethnic interactions and to the arrival of boats at the pier. Agents from each population are equipped with a specific set of steering methods which are selected and parameterized according to predefined behavioral patterns (graphs of states). In this paper, we propose a new formalism where interactions between the different ethnics groups and with the boats can be either activated globally or locally. Global interactions cause changes of states for all the agents belonging to the target population, while local interactions only take place between specific agents, and result in changes of states for these agents only. The main contributions of our method are: i) Applying microscopic crowd simulation to the complex case of a multi-ethnic trading port, involving different behavioral patterns; ii) Introducing a high-level control method, through the interethnic interactions formalism. The resulting system generates a variety of real-time animations, all reflecting the adequate social behaviors. Such a system would be particularly useful in a virtual tour application.

A Low-Cost Method for Generating Panoramic Views for a Mobile Virtual Heritage Application

Nowadays, with rapid advancement of technology, people can roam around the virtual world through the aid of the Internet. One of these advances is a photographic technique called panoramic view where images are captured with elongated field of view using specialized software or equipments. However, the computational cost of generating a panoramic view is high. One of the popular software for generating panoramic views is Apple Inc.’s QuickTime VR (QTVR). Nevertheless, iPhone Operating System (iOS) does not support the existing QTVR software. Therefore, in this paper, a low-cost method for generating panoramic views on mobile platform is proposed by storing finite images in an array in order to generate a 360o panoramic view. This method can be supported by all kinds of platform and therefore can be installed in any mobile devices without having to use any intermediate software to convert the format of the images. The outcome is a cylindrical panoramic view that allows the user to gain a 360o clear vision around historical monuments in a mobile virtual heritage exploration using lower computational cost but with similar quality of production.

Low-Cost Methods for Generating Panoramic Views for a Mobile Virtual Heritage Application and its Application to the Heritage Zone of George Town Malaysia

With rapid advancement of technology, people can roam around the virtual world through the aid of the Internet. One of these advances is a photographic technique called panoramic view where the images are captured with elongated field of view using specialized software or equipments. One popular software for generating panoramic views is Apple Inc.’s QuickTime VR (QTVR). However, iphone Operating System (iOS) does not support the existing QTVR software. Therefore, a low-cost method for generating panoramic views on mobile platform is proposed. The proposed method is to store finite images in an array in order to generate a 360o panoramic view from different angles of the heritage sites. This method can be supported various platforms and can be installed in any mobile device without using intermediate software to convert the image file format. The key aspects of the iOS User Experience (UX) are also explored from the perspectives of Model-View-Control (MVC) strategies. The outcome is 360o cylindrical panoramic views that allow the user to gain a clear vision around historical monuments with standardize iOS interface design on a mobile platform using lower computational cost but with similar quality of production. The results of the evaluation have shown that the application is successfully implemented in George Town, Malaysia.

L-System Controlled Music Expression through Visual Language Framework

L-System has been very useful in modeling the development of biological plant. It has also been applied to music rendering and the L-systems plant model has also been used to represent musical note. Nonetheless, most of the tools available for L-System modeling require strong backgrounds in programming as well as L-Systems. In this paper, we describe an implementation of a simple and yet useful visual language framework for rapid generation of musical sounds which requires no such backgrounds. The framework is realized by designing and developing a simplified icon-based visual language framework. The system, called Visual Language Music Rendering provides an expressive music environment for L-System music rendering. In the framework, visual language grammar models for L-System music rendering are fed into the system for more effective transformation of plant model to music rendering. The framework also includes using mutated stochastic and context-sensitive L-Systems visually which results in better melody and enhanced musical sounds. In the evaluation, the system was compared with an existing music rendering tool and it was found that Visual Language Music Rendering is the preferred system and individuals who are interested in music rendering can easily use it even though one has no experience in music or L-System.

A Mobile Gaming Approach to Virtual Heritage Exploration

Virtual heritage is a computer-based interactive technology that provides formative stages of the educational experience of cultural heritage such as virtual tour of museums. With the fast growing technological advancement in mobile phone technology, it has become possible to create a virtual heritage application for edutainment for general public on mobile platform. In this paper, we present a virtual heritage application called M-Heritage Hunt that provides a technology-integrated environment that allows users to gain knowledge of heritage on mobile platform through panoramic views of the heritage sites and a game that combines the traditional games of Monopoly and Treasure Hunt. Based on the comparison and preliminary evaluation, the system has been found to be interesting, attractive and successful in delivering the heritage contents.

An evaluation of visual information: Learning of writing Chinese characters through gamification

The purpose of this paper is to propose an intelligent and flexible e-learning mobile game application based on learning objects to facilitate the learning of writing Chinese characters in correct stroke sequences. The paper adopts an incremental approach in designing the overall system architecture to emphasize on extendibility of the system. The basic features of the system including the evolution and pronunciation of each Chinese character can be embedded as a part of the learning object metadata to enhance students’ understanding of Chinese characters. To demonstrate the feasibility of this research, a prototype of the proposed e-learning game software was to use built on smartphones such that students can learn anytime and anywhere as the case study to carry out the evaluation. Quantitative approaches are used to for this assessment. A number of 31 foreign online players (Namibian and Thais) from UPSI are chosen to direct this experiment. Data were analyzed using descriptive and explorative data analysis. Descriptive analysis describes how well a player is performing by looking at the number of strokes the player traces without faults. Exploratory data analysis is to find new dilemma faced among the players, and players can provide comment and remarks as future recommendations. Findings showed that there are improvements in game play for experimental group, were the experiment group has gained significant experience whether they had not prior knowledge or not. The results also showed there was a significant critical thinking with significant experience for the group experiment. As a conclusion, a Chinese character writing board game, has improved students’ experience and critical thinking skills in Chinese character writing. As the outcome, the study implicates that the use of mobile games can enhance the effectiveness of teaching and learning to write Chinese character.The purpose of this paper is to propose an intelligent and flexible e-learning mobile game application based on learning objects to facilitate the learning of writing Chinese characters in correct stroke sequences. The paper adopts an incremental approach in designing the overall system architecture to emphasize on extendibility of the system. The basic features of the system including the evolution and pronunciation of each Chinese character can be embedded as a part of the learning object metadata to enhance students’ understanding of Chinese characters. To demonstrate the feasibility of this research, a prototype of the proposed e-learning game software was to use built on smartphones such that students can learn anytime and anywhere as the case study to carry out the evaluation. Quantitative approaches are used to for this assessment. A number of 31 foreign online players (Namibian and Thais) from UPSI are chosen to direct this experiment. Data were analyzed using descriptive and explorative data anal...

Challenges in virtual reality system: A review

Application of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) system has been proven to be practical and effective in offering the sense of presence and engagement for users to explore inside a virtual environment (VE) creation. However, numerous user experience problems still occur within the application design and development phase. An attempt to categorized the issues from presented studies by the researchers within the scope of papers between years of 2007 to 2017. There is no empirical evaluation conducted in this reviewing process but the aim is to bridge the gap between user experience and application system through understanding and learning from the challenges in the system itself. This can promote a more highly acceptance level of this complex technology among the users. This paper also proposes the future research directions and predicts the development trends of VR system.Application of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) system has been proven to be practical and effective in offering the sense of presence and engagement for users to explore inside a virtual environment (VE) creation. However, numerous user experience problems still occur within the application design and development phase. An attempt to categorized the issues from presented studies by the researchers within the scope of papers between years of 2007 to 2017. There is no empirical evaluation conducted in this reviewing process but the aim is to bridge the gap between user experience and application system through understanding and learning from the challenges in the system itself. This can promote a more highly acceptance level of this complex technology among the users. This paper also proposes the future research directions and predicts the development trends of VR system.

Comparison of L-system applications towards plant modelling, music rendering and score generation using visual language programming

Visual language or visual representation has been used in the past few years in order to express the knowledge in graphic. One of the important graphical elements is fractal and L-Systems is a mathematic-based grammatical model for modelling cell development and plant topology. From the plant model, L-Systems can be interpreted as music sound and score. In this paper, LSound which is a Visual Language Programming (VLP) framework has been developed to model plant to music sound and generate music score and vice versa. The objectives of this research has three folds: (i) To expand the grammar dictionary of L-Systems music based on visual programming, (ii) To design and produce a user-friendly and icon based visual language framework typically for L-Systems musical score generation which helps the basic learners in musical field and (iii) To generate music score from plant models and vice versa using L-Systems method. This research undergoes a four phases methodology where the plant is first modelled, then the music is interpreted, followed by the output of music sound through MIDI and finally score is generated. LSound is technically compared to other existing applications in the aspects of the capability of modelling the plant, rendering the music and generating the sound. It has been found that LSound is a flexible framework in which the plant can be easily altered through arrow-based programming and the music score can be altered through the music symbols and notes. This work encourages non-experts to understand L-Systems and music hand-in-hand.Visual language or visual representation has been used in the past few years in order to express the knowledge in graphic. One of the important graphical elements is fractal and L-Systems is a mathematic-based grammatical model for modelling cell development and plant topology. From the plant model, L-Systems can be interpreted as music sound and score. In this paper, LSound which is a Visual Language Programming (VLP) framework has been developed to model plant to music sound and generate music score and vice versa. The objectives of this research has three folds: (i) To expand the grammar dictionary of L-Systems music based on visual programming, (ii) To design and produce a user-friendly and icon based visual language framework typically for L-Systems musical score generation which helps the basic learners in musical field and (iii) To generate music score from plant models and vice versa using L-Systems method. This research undergoes a four phases methodology where the plant is first modelled, then t...

Predictive analysis and data mining among the employment of fresh graduate students in HEI

Management of higher education have a problem in producing 100% of graduates who can meet the needs of industry while industry is also facing the problem of finding skilled graduates who suit their needs partly due to the lack of an effective method in assessing problem solving skills as well as weaknesses in the assessment of problem-solving skills. The purpose of this paper is to propose a suitable classification model that can be used in making prediction and assessment of the attributes of the student’s dataset to meet the selection criteria of work demanded by the industry of the graduates in the academic field. Supervised and unsupervised Machine Learning Algorithms were used in this research where; K-Nearest Neighbor, Naive Bayes, Decision Tree, Neural Network, Logistic Regression and Support Vector Machine. The proposed model will help the university management to make a better long-term plans for producing graduates who are skilled, knowledgeable and fulfill the industry needs as well.Management of higher education have a problem in producing 100% of graduates who can meet the needs of industry while industry is also facing the problem of finding skilled graduates who suit their needs partly due to the lack of an effective method in assessing problem solving skills as well as weaknesses in the assessment of problem-solving skills. The purpose of this paper is to propose a suitable classification model that can be used in making prediction and assessment of the attributes of the student’s dataset to meet the selection criteria of work demanded by the industry of the graduates in the academic field. Supervised and unsupervised Machine Learning Algorithms were used in this research where; K-Nearest Neighbor, Naive Bayes, Decision Tree, Neural Network, Logistic Regression and Support Vector Machine. The proposed model will help the university management to make a better long-term plans for producing graduates who are skilled, knowledgeable and fulfill the industry needs as well.