Dale Patterson

Using interactive 3D game play to make complex medical knowledge more accessible

This research outlines a new approach, that takes complex medical, nutritional & activity data and presents it to the diabetic patient in the form of a mobile app/game that uses interactive 3D computer graphics & game play to make this complex information more accessible. The pilot randomized control study results indicate that the Diabetes Visualizers use of interactive 3D game play increased the participants understanding of the condition, and its day-to-day management. More importantly the Diabetes Visualizer app stimulated participants interest in, and desire to engage in the task of diabetes management.

Fractal Complexity in Built and Game Environments

Fractal patterns provide an automated mathematical method to create rich and engaging visuals. These methods have been applied in the design of physical and game spaces to only a limited extent. The current physical and virtual game worlds are dominated by rectangles, squares and linear concepts. This research studied the nature of fractal patterns and in particular the use of differing levels of fractal complexity to design physical and virtual environments. The findings from the randomized trial identified differing levels of fractal complexity and their aesthetic appeal to participants. These levels of fractal complexity were then applied to spatial environments in games to create spaces that were more or less appealing to the participant. The principle of using fractal complexity as a design tool to make an environment more or less comfortable provided game and architectural designers an additional mechanism to enhance spaces and levels of participant engagement.

Structural Veneer Based Composite Products from Hardwood Thinning – Part I: Background and Manufacturing

In Australia, plantation forests have increased in area by around 50% in the last 10 years. While this expansion has seen a modest 8% increase for softwoods, hardwood plantations have dramatically increased by over 150%. Hardwood plantations grown for high quality sawn timber are slow to mature, with a crop rotation time potentially reaching 35 years. With this long lead-time, each year the risk from fire, pests and adverse weather events dramatically increases, while not translating into substantially higher financial returns to the grower. To justify continued expansion of Australia’s current hardwood plantation estate, it is becoming necessary to develop higher value end-uses for both pulpwood and smaller ‘sawlog’ resources. The use of the low commercial value stems currently culled during thinning appears to be a necessary option to improve the industry profitability and win new markets. This paper provides background information on Australian forests and plantations and gives an overview of potential uses of Australian hardwood plantation thinning logs, as their mechanical properties. More specifically, this paper reports on the development of structural Veneer Based Composite (VBC) products from hardwood plantation thinning logs, taking advantage of a recent technology developed to optimise the processing of this resource. The process used to manufacture a range of hollow-form veneer laminated structural products is presented and the mechanical characteristics of these products are investigated in the companion paper. The market applications and future opportunities for the proposed products are also discussed, as potential benefits to the timber industry.

3D spirals, bubbles and sliders: setting range values in multi-user 3D environments

This paper describes a series of interactive 3D range setting components, each designed for application in shared multi-user 3D environments. The nature of multi-user environments creates the necessity for interactive 3D interface components to be able to function when viewed from a range of different perspectives at the same point in time. The three described components were designed with this requirement in mind. The first component, a 3DBubble based system, utilizes a simple sphere that expands and contracts on an axis device to represent changing range values. The second component uses a cone shaped spring device, the 3DSpiral, with a sliding ball that moves along the spring to enable interaction, range viewing and value setting. The final device is a simple cylinder, the 3DCylinder, with a ring that moves along its shape to set changes in range value. An experimental trial of 78 participants was carried out and involved each participant using the three 3D components, with an additional control group for comparison (using a 2D slider), to set range values. Results from the trial showed that the 3DBubble and 3DSpiral achieved outcomes that matched the control (2DSlider) in terms of accuracy of result and time taken to complete task. The advantage of the 3DBubble and the 3DSpiral was that they performed consistently from multiple points of view and that this was significantly better than both the control and the 3DSlider, both of which performed poorly when viewed from anything other than a front, square on angle. These results indicate that the 3DBubble and 3DSpiral offer potential for use in setting range values in multi-user 3D environments.

Fractal Dimension - A Spatial and Visual Design Technique for the Creation of Lifelike Artificial Forms

Creating artificial entities that are lifelike and comfortable for human users to interact with is a critical challenge in a number of fields from robotics to human-computer interface design. Fractal systems are a mathematical model that can be observed in many natural systems from microscopic cellular biology through to satellite imagery. The recursive, self-similar nature of fractal systems makes them well suited to the automated creation of natural 3D forms. This research looked at the fractal dimension of artificially created forms, in particular looking at whether differing levels of fractal dimension made a difference to how natural, appealing or lifelike an item was to the user. A randomized trial ni?ź=i?ź25 identified that differing levels of fractal dimension did generate differing levels of response from users. This finding identifies the potential to use fractal dimension as a design principal when creating the physical forms that represent artificial life.

Reality Reaching into Games - Weather as a Dynamic Link to Real-World Streams of Information

This paper describes the design and applied use of in-game weather systems to convey streaming real-world information to the game player. Weather systems were selected as the form of ambient in-game information due to their visual presence and limited involvement in gameplay. This allows change to the weather, based on real-world data, without negatively effecting gameplay. This mechanism provided an ambient in-game source of information that kept the player informed regarding a source of streaming information from the real world, while also allowing for the immersive game experience to be maintained. Results from the experimental trial (n = 35) showed that the weather simulation, linked to real-world information stream, enhanced reported levels of information engagement, without negative effect in terms of player sense of immersion and realism. These results indicate the potential for in-game weather to be used as an effective, time varying form of immersive information transfer.

Design for Happiness - Positive Psychology Through Social Media Games

This project targeted the concept of happiness and the development of an intelligent social media game to utilize positive psychology techniques to enhance user happiness. The HeHa (Happiness Enhancing Helper Application) was built around the principles of positive psychology, including the identification and active pursuit of signature strengths. It functioned as a social media application and worked by encouraging, through gameplay and active suggestions, social media interactions that support the users personal signature strengths. A randomized control trial of sixty users was carried out to ascertain the effectiveness of the HeHa in enhancing interaction, satisfaction and happiness. The findings showed that users of the HeHa enhanced social media game demonstrated increased happiness levels using the tool.

The Active Use of Online Presence, Movies and Gameplay to Improve Classroom Engagement

The online world is filled with rich interactive games, spaces, motion pictures and personas. Despite a rapid growth in online education, the tertiary classroom looks quite different to the entertaining online world it exists within. The design of mobile online resources, both official and unofficial, plays a key role in student engagement and learning. From the teachers perspective designing an online presence and in particular engaging online learning resources, is critical to the success of the learning environment. This project looked at the use of popular forms of online materials, including gameplay, movies and social media, and whether the application of entertainment centered tools enhanced the learning environment. The results of the 9 year, 984 participant study indicate that the increased and active use of the entertainment based tools had a significant positive effect in terms of student engagement and a significant positive effect on learning outcomes for international students.

Every footprint tells a story: 3D scanning of heritage artifacts as an interactive experience

This paper looks at innovative new methods in the capture of high quality three-dimensional (3D) information from historical artifacts and the processes needed to convert this detailed historical data into digital interactive experiences that open up new knowledge. The forensically accurate scan details, ideal for preservation and archaeology, are applied for use in developing engaging interactive entertainment outcomes, in the form of VR/AR and games. Early Aboriginal trackways discovered at the Willandra Lakes World Heritage Site in New South Wales were used as a case study to examine the methods available to accurately record these oldest footprints ever found in Australia and how to best communicate this information as an interactive visitor experience. The technical challenges involved in converting for interactive systems, and the work-flows needed are outlined as a mechanism for application in a wider range of virtual heritage experiences.

Educate your avatar, educate your mind: motivating learning through play

Students, that are currently receiving an education have grown up not knowing a life without technology such as computers, the internet, mobile phones and online games. They use this technology to communicate with each other, connect with the world, research information, not only for the purpose of bettering themselves but to also establish themselves in the world. Much has been written about how technology can be an influence in todays adolescence and how it can, potentially, improve their way of life. A Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) is an example of such a technology that is being considered as an alternative means of teaching todays youth as being able to having them actively participating in their education instead of being bored and uninspired. Motivation is a key factor that propels us in life. It plays a major role in nearly everything we do. Without motivation, we would simply not care about outcomes in our lives resulting in failure in what we do in all walks of life, such as education and employment. This paper looks at how online gameplay might assist in developing engaging education resources.