Special Effect's on-line Accessible Gamebase network, supporting accessible games for young people with disabilities.

"SpecialEffect is a charity dedicated to helping ALL young people with disabilities to enjoy computer games. For these children, the majority of computer games are simply too quick or too difficult to play, and we can help them and their parents to find out which games they CAN play, and how to adapt those games that they can't."


Here is a video that tells a story of how SpecialEffects created a game for a young woman, Helen, with a motor disability.  Helen operates the computer with her eyes to play against her brother, who uses the touch-screen interface:

If you are interested in supporting accessible games, consider joining Accessible Gamebase, a new on-line community maintained by Special Effect.  Below is the message I recently received from SpecialEffect regarding this opportunity to connect others regarding accessible games:


"Have you been wondering just what it is you could do to get involved with SpecialEffect? Well, that question is answered today with the launch of SpecialEffect's 'accessible Gamebase.

• It deals with all access devices for all physical and learning disabilities - from switch users to eye controllers. 
• It's not just a place for gamers but a place where everyone - carers, gamers, developers and, of course, end-users themselves - can both share information and try out the latest games whether they are seasoned gamers or absolute beginners. 
• It has the potential to be a great training tool, too, and we've already put up some example videos to illustrate how the games are played. 
• As it's based on a social networking model, anyone can easily join up and share information. 
• It tells you not only how to adapt mainstream games for use by everyone but also provides information on which special games are available - and for whom.

All in all, then, it's very much designed to be a place that encourages anyone with an interest in this area to meet to share information and ideas. The proof of the pudding will be in the extent to which people use it, of course, and it will need significant promotion (yes, this will be where we will need your help!) to reach that point of critical mass when, with SpecialEffect's expert input and moderation, it will thrive.

Go to http://www.gamebase.info to sign up and Be a Part of It!"

For a smile: Gain Detergent Container Looks Like Don Norman's User Unfriendly Teapot

The designers who created the Gain detergent container below obviously didn't read "The Design of Everyday Things."

No matter which way you try to pour the darn thing, it still makes a BIG mess. The "spout" is really air vent, I've been told.  More info on The World Is My Interface blog.

Big Data: What are the possibilities for collaborative interactive information visualization? (Video interviews of Roger Magoulas, director of research at O'Reilly)

When I return to graduate school (hopefully I'll have the means to attend full-time), I want to flesh out my ideas for a "interactive multi-dimensional multi-media multi-user timeline" for use on interactive multi-touch/gesture tables and displays.   Although I've limited my work to a prototype of a template, I know that this concept won't work unless the application can incorporate an efficient means of handling large volumes of data, as well as data in various formats.

I want this template to be useful to people in a variety of contexts, such as students studying world history and humanities, education administrators looking at educational data over time, producers and viewers of interactive documentary programs (think interactive TV), the health industry, urban planners, the military, serious games, etc.

One of my stumbling blocks is how all of the data would be stored and analysed.  What I learned a few years ago in my computer classes simply won't work.

So now what?!  I think that Roger Magoulas, the director of research at O'Reilly, has some good things to say about the critical problem of handling what he calls "Big Data".   Here are a few videos that I think are worth watching.

The Future of Work
Part One



Next Device (SmartPhones, netbooks, creation & consumption factors - supporting usability in multiple contexts)



You Tube Series: O'Reilly Media
Big Data: Technologies & Techniques for Large-Scale Data (Emphasis on experimental approach) Part I


Part II (Discusses new forms of databases and the user of parallel processors to handle Big Data)


Part III Key Technology Dimensions


Part IV, Focus on hardware- Solid state disks, new data structure called "triadic continuum" which handles real-time data and ongoing probability estimates of data.


I would be happy to hear from anyone who is working on a project similar to the one I'm working on as a "hobby".

RELATED

Triadic Continuum
"Phaneron, KStore, Knowledge store, or simply K, is a dynamic data model that is based on the cognitive theory of C. S. Peirce. Phaneron efficiently organizes data into a unique, compact, interconnected, and fully-related data model. Phaneron is constructed using the Triadic Continuum."  


For those of you who like visual representations of geeky-techy concepts, here a few visuals and related descriptions of  KStore fundamentals from the Triadic Continuum website:


"The KStore data model is constructed using the basic triad. For example, the event sequence 'cat' would be recorded as shown in 'a sequence' below. A new level of nodes is created above a lower level of nodes as a result of the triadic process. In this case the lower level of nodes contains a node for each character of the alpha-numeric character set and the new nodes reference the lower level nodes to record the sequence 'cat'. Each sequence is initialize with a reference to a BOT (beginning of thought) and terminated with an EOT (end of thought) reference."





"The data set above was used to create the K structure below with the lowest level that contains the alpha-numeric character set, the second level is created to record sequences that represent the field variables. Then a third level is created using the field variables of the second level to record the record sequences. Records recorded in this K structure reuse the field variable nodes so that these field variable sequences never have to be recorded more than once. This is just one of the attributes of a K structure that makes it very efficient." -Triadic-conintuum.com



Mazzagatti, J.C. (2006) The Potential for Recognizing Errors in a Dataset Using Computer Memory Resident data Structure Based on the Phaneron of C.S. Peirce (doc)


Personal Note:
Due to the economic downturn and its impact on my family (two kids in college), I returned to work full time in mid 2008. I have a very busy day job as a school psychologist, working at two high schools as well as a program for students with multiple, severe disabilities, including autism. This has limited my ability to work on my project.

Shared computing with Windows MultiPoint in classrooms: Why not use Mouse Mischief (beta version)?

I came across this post this on Long Zheng's I Started Something blog:

Windows MultiPoint Server -- a multiseat computing solution worthy for the home?
Long Zheng points out that Window's MultiPoint server is an outgrowth of the Multi-Mouse project, in which students multiple numbers of students can work together to interact with content a PC screen or a projected PC screen.

The picture below shows how a Windows MultiPoint server can work in a classroom.

-Microsoft

I'm not so sure I like the set up in the picture of the Multi-Point 2010 system in the above picture. The students all have huge monitors in front of them, so the opportunities for shared or collaborative interaction are limited.  I like the multi-mice concept better, since the children can really be together

Mouse Mischief

Neema Moraveji, of the Stanford University HCI group, has videos and information about the multiple mice-related work on his project Page:

Mouse Mischief (MightyMice, Mouse on Each Desk)

Teachers provide content using an add-on for PowerPoint that allows for simultaneous input from multiple mice.  The teacher can set up limits regarding how the mice are used by  the students.

I tried this with a few students during the 2008-09 school year, and they liked it.  Since I serve more schools this current year, I haven't had the opportunity to explore this further. I plan to download a newer version and try it out soon.

Good news!
The free beta version of Microsoft Mouse Mischief from the Microsoft website was recently released: Microsoft Mouse Mischief: Make your PowerPoint presentations interactive

Below is information about Mouse Mischief from the Microsoft website:

"Mouse Mischief is a tool that Microsoft makes available free of charge, and that allows teachers to work with Microsoft Office PowerPoint to make interactive presentations. With Mouse Mischief, teachers can add multiple choice questions to their presentations, and large groups of students can answer the questions using mice connected to the teacher’s PC."
"Mouse Mischief not only gives students the ability to engage, have fun, and learn in new, interactive ways, but it also provides teachers with a more affordable alternative to purchasing expensive student response systems, commonly known as clickers, by letting students use affordable wired or wireless USB mice that their school already own."

"It’s simple. After Mouse Mischief is installed, the Mouse Mischief toolbar will appear as part of the PowerPoint ribbon when a new or old PowerPoint presentation is opened. This intuitive Mouse Mischief toolbar lets teachers add interactive elements such as multiple-choice question slides with a single click. When the teacher opens a Mouse Mischief enabled presentation, students in the classroom can answer each question by clicking it with their uniquely designed mouse cursor. Once the students have selected their answers, the teacher can display the correct answer...The best part? Mouse Mischief gives teachers the option to have their students answer questions individually or as part of a team, in order to encourage both competition and collaboration in the classroom...Special teacher controls allow the teacher to disable student’s mouse cursors, navigate between slides, set timers, and more. With Mouse Mischief the teacher is always in control, whether there are two or 25 cursors on the screen."

If you are interested in developing applications for Mouse Mischief, you can download Windows MultiPoint Software Development Kit 1.5  This kit allows developers to enable up to 25 mouse devices to work at the same time on one computer. It was released on 1/12/2010 and can be downloaded from the Microsoft website.

Here a plug from Microsoft about the benefits of the MultiPoint Mouse SDK:
"Applications built on the MultiPoint Mouse SDK can provide teachers with tools to gain real-time assessment information to help them provide a personalized learning experience for each of their students...Applications built on the MultiPoint Mouse SDK can increase student learning comprehension through interactive methods.MultiPoint Mouse applications can further a student’s engagement, collaboration, interaction and overall cognitive and social skills within a classroom or lab environment."

Here is the information about the MultiPoint SDK:
"The Windows MultiPoint Mouse SDK version 1.5 is a development framework that allows developers to build applications that enable up to 25 individual mouse devices to work simultaneously on one computer. As a developer, you can use the MultiPoint Mouse SDK to create educational applications that take advantage of collaborative learning methodologies. In schools with minimum infrastructure, MultiPoint Mouse greatly enhances the shared computing experience. Initial pilot programs conducted in India by Microsoft Research show that for certain subjects, MultiPoint Mouse can enhance learning when compared to a 1:1 computing scenario."

"MultiPoint Mouse should not be confused with applications that allow multiple people to control multiple mouse devices to perform standard operations. In those cases, the system traditionally cannot identify which mouse has made which changes, and there is normally no option for controlling the permissions of the various devices. MultiPoint Mouse is a development framework that enables developers to build applications to take advantage of multiple mouse devices, including the ability to handle mouse clicks from different users independently and to assign different permissions to each mouse. For example, the mouse belonging to a teacher in a learning application might need additional permissions to control the activity."


The MultiPoint SDK is compatible with Windows 7, Windows Vista Service Pack 2, Windows XP Service Pack 3, the .NET Framework version 3.5 SP1 or higher, Microsoft Expression Blend (you can use the trial version), Visual Studio 2008 or 2010 (you can use the free Express version), 2-4 mice devices for testing, and USB ports on the computer




Other thoughts:
Schools with money for advanced technology tools have purchased SMARTTables, and few have Microsoft Surface tables.  They are expensive, and don't offer a range of form factors to choose from.

I sort of like the concept behind the multi-user poker table that was in the casino on my cruse ship:

Near the poker table is a display that shows the action from the poker game. In classroom settings, this display could be an interactive whiteboard, a projected display, or even a flat-panel screen.


There is a need for tables of different shapes in the schools. Speech pathologists, school psychologists, counselors, and others who provide guided group activities in the schools could use a multi-user table that follows this tried and true configuration:

I'd love to hear from anyone who is using MultiPoint or Mouse Mischief, and also from anyone who is experimenting with various multi-touch table form factors.

Related:
Multple Mice for Computers in Education in Developing Countries (pdf)

Windows Embedded Intelligent Digital Signage for 2011.

My comments will be forthcoming.

Thoughts about technology on a cruise ship, and other reflections...

It is January 4 2010, and I am enjoying my Caribbean cruise trip. 

I’m a little disappointed that technology on cruise ships has not moved forward as I’d hoped over the past few years.   On my ship, which is less than three years old,  Wi Fi is available in each stateroom, in addition to the common areas.  This is a good thing, but it is very expensive.  The pay-as-you-go rate is 75 cents a minute!   If you have a 3G iPhone or Smartphone, you’ll have to pay outrageously high fees to connect to the internet from the ship’s connection, I’m told.

I was pleasantly surprised by some of the digital displays on the ship, especially the “show-reel” of the beautiful destination points and exciting activities that everyone looks forward to when going on a cruise.  I was also impressed with the digital touch-screen poker table in the casino, even if I don't play poker.

I even liked some of the digital signage that were basically slide show posters of nice vacation pictures.

My biggest disappointments?  

• The  large touch-screen flat-panel display that served as an interactive shore excursion kiosk.  It was tucked away in a poor location, and it didn’t make any sense!

• The interactive TV experience, specifically the the shore excursion selection process.  This experience made me hate TV remote controls more than ever!

• The cruise ship wayfinding system.   Arrrggghh.
  

I will devote at least one blog post to each of the above disappointments when I’m done editing the video.

I guess I shouldn’t have had such high technological expectations for my trip.  I’m on a Carnival cruise ship, and I know that the line is owned by the same company that owns the Holland America ships. From previous cruises on Holland America ships, I know that they are more upscale than Carnival.    I guess I got too excited when I recently learned that a few Holland America ships provide cruise-goers with the magic experience of Microsoft Surface in their lounges, and also adopted the Windows 7 operating system.  On the Carnival Freedom, things aren’t quite so advanced. 

Why is this important to me?

• I’m interested in studying how technology can facilitate collaboration, communication, information-gathering, and decision making in public spaces, and since I have plenty of cruise ship travel experience, cruse ship spaces.

• I’d like to follow up on the work I did on a student project.  Three years ago, I did  a lot of people-watching during a cruise-ship vacation, which inspired the topic of my Human Computer Interaction team project during the semester after my trip. I took another cruise ship during that semester, which further informed my thinking about this topic.  Since then, I’ve been on 4 cruises.

• I think that much of the information I obtain from my observations related to travel experiences, including cruise ships, can inform work in other related domains, such as shopping malls, museums, historical points of interest, libraries, airports, bus, railroad, and subway terminals, parks and squares, and so forth.  I also think this work can inform educational applications and simulations, such as 3D “Virtual Field Trip” games, following Universal Design for Learning principles.

I spent some of my time yesterday, our "day at sea", reading two books and jotting down some of my reflections from 1) and educational/universal design for learning perspective, and 2)  a ubiquitous computing/interactive displays in public spaces + collaborative perspective:

• Acting With Technology: Activity Theory and Interaction Design (Victor Kaptelinin and Bonnie A. Nardi)
• Thoughts on Interaction Design (Editor:  Jon Kolko)
  

UPDATE TO COME!