If you are interested in interaction and technology, I've updated my "Reflecting about Interaction" posts on my TSHWI (Technology-Supported Human-world Interaction) blog. I've embedded a couple of video clips that show how body movements interact with music applications. One is an interactive music wall, and the other is a staircase that senses people's movements and plays music and sounds as they move.
You might also be interested in my latest post about Johnny Chung Lee and his Wii hacks. "I wish I could be Johnny Chung Lee for a Day!"
Mar 2, 2008
Feb 24, 2008
Mind Habits Update
I previously had a demo of one of the interactive games from MindHabits on this blog, but it no longer is available. The newer MindHabits on-line demo includes several games.
From the MindHabits website:
"Montreal-based MindHabits develops science-based videogames designed to help players reduce stress and build self-confidence. Founded on social intelligence research by Dr. Mark Baldwin at McGill University, these stress busting, confidence boosting games use simple, fun-to-play exercises that help players develop and maintain a more positive state of mind."
MindHabits allows you to adjust the faces that you see on the screen:
"Click the “Game Options” button and try moving the “neighbourhood” slider back and forth until you find a mix of faces that matches where you live as closely as possible."
Here is a screen shot of one of the MindHabits games:
From the MindHabits website:
"Montreal-based MindHabits develops science-based videogames designed to help players reduce stress and build self-confidence. Founded on social intelligence research by Dr. Mark Baldwin at McGill University, these stress busting, confidence boosting games use simple, fun-to-play exercises that help players develop and maintain a more positive state of mind."
MindHabits allows you to adjust the faces that you see on the screen:
"Click the “Game Options” button and try moving the “neighbourhood” slider back and forth until you find a mix of faces that matches where you live as closely as possible."
Here is a screen shot of one of the MindHabits games:
The MindHabits games are evidenced-based:
Stephane D. Dandeneau, Mark W. Baldwin, Jodene R. Baccus, and Maya Sakellaropoulo, Jens C. Pruessner (2007), Cutting Stress Off at the Pass: Reducing Vigilance and Responsiveness to Social Threat by Manipulation of Attention (pdf) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2007, Vol. 93, No. 4, 651–666 American Psychological Association 0022-3514/07/$12.00 DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.93.4.651
Stephane D. Dandeneau, Mark W. Baldwin, Jodene R. Baccus, and Maya Sakellaropoulo, Jens C. Pruessner (2007), Cutting Stress Off at the Pass: Reducing Vigilance and Responsiveness to Social Threat by Manipulation of Attention (pdf) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2007, Vol. 93, No. 4, 651–666 American Psychological Association 0022-3514/07/$12.00 DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.93.4.651
Feb 22, 2008
Via Tech Psych: Accessible Learning through Entertainment and Recreation - Resources for free or low cost games and applications
The people at Simply Entertainment/ 7-128 Software, make "mainstream, family-friendly, computer games that are designed from the ground up to be accessible to gamers with a variety of special needs, including: blindness, low vision, color blindness, deafness, and motion impairment".
They recently added a free on-line service for people searching for free or low-cost accessible computer games suitable for learning or rehabilitative environments.
According to the website, the Accessible Learning through Entertainment and Recreation service provides the following useful information:
Another resource on the Simply Entertainment/1-129 Software website is a section dedicated to links to 25 highest-rated websites that focus on games that are accessible for people who are blind. Many of the linked websites offer free on-line games.
Thanks to John Bannick and his colleagues at 7-128!
They recently added a free on-line service for people searching for free or low-cost accessible computer games suitable for learning or rehabilitative environments.
According to the website, the Accessible Learning through Entertainment and Recreation service provides the following useful information:
- Where to get those games, at low cost, or for free
- What to look for in selecting those games, quickly and with fewer costly mistakes
- How to apply those games to your learning objectives, without a lot of mystery
- Who to go to for free help
Another resource on the Simply Entertainment/1-129 Software website is a section dedicated to links to 25 highest-rated websites that focus on games that are accessible for people who are blind. Many of the linked websites offer free on-line games.
Thanks to John Bannick and his colleagues at 7-128!
Labels:
7-128,
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simply entertainment,
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Feb 17, 2008
Touch Screen Interaction and Usability in Public Spaces: Link
If you are interested in what is happening with interactive displays in public spaces, you can find a description of the technology used at the Ballantyne Village center in Charlotte, N.C., along with video clips and my critique, on the Technology Supported Human-World Interaction blog.
Its a great concept, but as you can see from the unedited video clips of my frustrating interactions with large touch screen displays, there is much more work to be done in this arena.
Its a great concept, but as you can see from the unedited video clips of my frustrating interactions with large touch screen displays, there is much more work to be done in this arena.
Feb 16, 2008
MyMap email visualization, related link
I came across a link to the MyMap project via Andrea Gaggioli's Positive Technology Journal, reblogged from Information Aesthetics:
"Christopher Baker is an artist whose work engages the rich collection of social, technological and ideological networks present in the urban landscape. Baker creates artifacts and situations that reveal and generate relationships within and between these networks."
Here is a link to his MyMap project website. MyMap is an e-mail visualization. It won "Best in Show" during the Spring 2007 University of Minnesoa College of Design Student Exhibition.
Below are pictures from the site:
Description from Christopher Baker's website:
"I created My Map, a relational map and alternative self portrait. My Map is a piece of custom designed software capable of rendering the relationships between myself and individuals in my address book by examining the TO:, FROM:, and CC: fields of every email in my email archive. The intensity of the relationship is determined by the intensity of the line. My Map allows me to explore different relational groupings and periods of time, revealing the temporal ebbs and flows in various relationships. In this way, My Map is a veritable self-portrait, a reflection of my associations and a way to locate myself."
Looking at MyMap, I could see the potential for use of this program on an interactive whiteboard or display. It would be good if optimised for a mobile device, too!
FYI
Visit Andrea's blog for more posts about information visualization.
"Christopher Baker is an artist whose work engages the rich collection of social, technological and ideological networks present in the urban landscape. Baker creates artifacts and situations that reveal and generate relationships within and between these networks."
Here is a link to his MyMap project website. MyMap is an e-mail visualization. It won "Best in Show" during the Spring 2007 University of Minnesoa College of Design Student Exhibition.
Below are pictures from the site:
Description from Christopher Baker's website:
"I created My Map, a relational map and alternative self portrait. My Map is a piece of custom designed software capable of rendering the relationships between myself and individuals in my address book by examining the TO:, FROM:, and CC: fields of every email in my email archive. The intensity of the relationship is determined by the intensity of the line. My Map allows me to explore different relational groupings and periods of time, revealing the temporal ebbs and flows in various relationships. In this way, My Map is a veritable self-portrait, a reflection of my associations and a way to locate myself."
Looking at MyMap, I could see the potential for use of this program on an interactive whiteboard or display. It would be good if optimised for a mobile device, too!
FYI
Visit Andrea's blog for more posts about information visualization.
Feb 13, 2008
Cooperation between special education and regular education technology is vital: Link to TechPsych post and information from Education Week
I've shared some thoughts regarding collaboration between special education and regular education regarding technology, questions for educators about technology and educational data management systems, a link to a related article from Education Week's Digital Directions, and links to resources, in a recent TechPsych post. Take a look!
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