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Description
The wide adoption and continued advancement of information and communications technologies (ICT) have made it easier than ever for individuals and groups to stay connected over long distances. These advances have greatly contributed in dramatically changing the dynamics of the modern day workplace to the point where it is now commonplace to see large, distributed multidisciplinary teams working together on a daily basis. However, in this environment, motivating, understanding, and valuing the diverse contributions of individual workers in collaborative enterprises becomes challenging. To address these issues, this thesis presents the goals, design, and implementation of Taskville, a distributed workplace game played by teams on large, public displays. Taskville uses a city building metaphor to represent the completion of individual and group tasks within an organization. Promising results from two usability studies and two longitudinal studies at a multidisciplinary school demonstrate that Taskville supports personal reflection and improves team awareness through an engaging workplace activity.
ContributorsNikkila, Shawn (Author) / Sundaram, Hari (Thesis advisor) / Byrne, Daragh (Committee member) / Davulcu, Hasan (Committee member) / Olson, Loren (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
This paper outlines the development of a software application that explores the plausibility and potential of interacting with three-dimensional sound sources within a virtual environment. The intention of the software application is to allow a user to become engaged with a collection of sound sources that can be perceived both graphically and audibly within a spatial, three-dimensional context. The three-dimensional sound perception is driven primarily by a binaural implementation of a higher order ambisonics framework while graphics and other data are processed by openFrameworks, an interactive media framework for C++. Within the application, sound sources have been given behavioral functions such as flocking or orbit patterns, animating their positions within the environment. The author will summarize the design process and rationale for creating such a system and the chosen approach to implement the software application. The paper will also provide background approaches to spatial audio, gesture and virtual reality embodiment, and future possibilities for the existing project.
ContributorsBurnett, Garrett (Author) / Paine, Garth (Thesis director) / Pavlic, Theodore (Committee member) / School of Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies (Contributor) / School of Arts, Media and Engineering (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Modern technologies have allowed for new ways to tell stories. Specifically, interactive film is a medium that has existed for quite some time, but has never really been a widely used or accepted means of conveying narratives in an engaging and effective way. After reviewing some of the most popular interactive films to date, I sought to create an interactive film that takes some of the most effective tools implemented by these works of art. I ultimately created If: an Interactive Film with the knowledge I gained. If follows a date between a couple and gives a single audience member the ability to choose the way the narrative progresses at key moments in the narrative. Cycling ‘74’s Max object-oriented programming environment facilitates this interactive film through an audio-driven video feedback system.
ContributorsConte, Salvatore Anthony (Author) / Sha, Xin Wei (Thesis director) / Connell, Ellery (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Arts, Media and Engineering (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
The objective of this project concentrates on the game Defense of the Ancients 2 (Dota 2). In this game, players are constantly striving to improve their skills, which are fueled by the competitive nature of the game. The design influences the community to engage in this interaction as they play the game cooperatively. This thesis illustrates the importance of player interaction in influencing design as well as how imperative design is in affecting player interaction. These two concepts are not separate, but are deeply entwined. Every action performed within a game has to interact with some element of design. Both determine how games become defined as competitive, casual, or creative. Game designers can benefit from this study as it reinforces the basics of developing a game for players to interact with. However, it is impossible to predict exactly how players will react to a designed element. Designers should remember to tailor the game towards their audience, but also react and change the game depending on how players are using the elements of design. In addition, players should continue to push the boundaries of games to help designers adapt their product to their audience. If there is not constant communication between players and designers, games will not be tailored appropriately. Pushing the limits of a game benefits the players as well as the designers to make a more complete game. Designers do not solely create a game for the players. Rather, players design the game for themselves. Keywords: game design, player interaction, affinity space, emergent behavior, Dota 2
ContributorsLarsen, Austin James (Author) / Gee, James Paul (Thesis director) / Holmes, Jeffrey (Committee member) / Kobayashi, Yoshihiro (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Computing and Informatics Program (Contributor) / School of Arts, Media and Engineering (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
CourseKarma is a web application that engages students in their own learning through peer-driven social networking. The influence of technology on students is advancing faster than the school system, and a major gap still lingers between traditional learning techniques and the fast-paced, online culture of today's generation. CourseKarma enriches the educational experience of today's student by creating a space for collaborative inquiry as well as illuminating the opportunities of self and group learning through online collaboration. The features of CourseKarma foster this student-driven environment. The main focus is on a news-feed and Question and Answer component that provides a space for students to share instant updates as well ask and answer questions of the community. The community can be as broad as the entire ASU student body, as specific as students in BIO155, or even more targeted via specific subjects and or skills. CourseKarma also provides reputation points, which are the sum of all of their votes received, identifying the individual's level and or ranking in each subject or class. This not only gamifies the usual day-to-day learning environment, but it also provides an in-depth analysis of the individual's skills, accomplishments, and knowledge. The community is also able to input and utilize course and professor descriptions/feedback. This will be in a review format providing the students an opportunity to share and give feedback on their experience as well as providing incoming students the opportunity to be prepared for their future classes. All of the student's contributions and collaborative activity within CourseKarma is displayed on their personal profile creating a timeline of their academic achievements. The application was created using modern web programming technologies such as AngualrJS, Javascript, jQuery, Bootstrap, HTML5, CSS3 for the styling and front-end development, Mustache.js for client side templating, and Firebase AngularFire as the back-end and NoSQL database. Other technologies such as Pivitol Tracker was used for project management and user story generation, as well as, Github for version control management and repository creation. Object-oreinted programming concepts were heavily present in the creation of the various data structures, as well as, a voting algorithm was used to manage voting of specific posts. Down the road, CourseKarma could even be a necessary add-on within LinkedIn or Facebook that provides a quick yet extremely in-depth look at an individuals' education, skills, and potential to learn \u2014 based all on their actual contribution to their academic community rather than just a text they wrote up.
ContributorsCho, Sungjae (Author) / Mayron, Liam (Thesis director) / Lobock, Alan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / School of Arts, Media and Engineering (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) is becoming an increasingly popular method of in vitro protein expression for biotechnology applications. However, there is still no comprehensive resource that outlines the most effective lysate and template combinations for efficient eukaryotic CFPS. To address this issue, expression vectors were constructed and assayed in order to determine their activity within three commercial eukaryotic CFPS systems: Wheat Germ Extract (WGE), Rabbit Reticulocyte Lysate (RRL), and HeLa Cell Lysate (HCL). Previously in the Chaput lab, a luciferase reporter vector was expressed in each lysate system, testing different template variables impacting protein expression, including the 5' UTR sequence, presence of poly(A) tail, and DNA type. It was found that plasmid DNA templates generally yielded ~500-fold greater amount of protein than linear DNA templates and the inclusion of a poly(A) tail did not significantly increase protein expression in the plasmid systems. Additionally, the incorporation of a viral translation enhancing sequence into the 5' UTR increased translation in a lysate-specific manner. The HCL system had a strong preference for the EMCV sequence, WGE had a preference for the sequences from AMV and TMV, and RRL showed no specific preference. Overall, the HCL-EMCV system generated the greatest amount of protein per volume, producing 10-fold more protein than the second best template-lysate combination tested. Here, four human genes fused with a c-Myc tag were expressed in each lysate using the EMCV 5' UTR sequence in order to test the generality of the previous results. Protein synthesis was assayed using a luciferase construct with a c-Myc tag to recapitulate the previous luminometer data and western blotting of the human proteins. These analyses showed the same EMCV expression trends across all systems, with the HCL system synthesizing the greatest amount of each protein. In the future, when choosing commercial eukaryotic CFPS systems for gene expression, these template variables should be considered when performing cost analysis for cell-free protein production.
ContributorsHartsough, Emily Mae (Author) / Chaput, John (Thesis director) / Chandler, Douglas (Committee member) / Larsen, Andrew (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Arts, Media and Engineering (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
The fundamental concept that I have developed and applied throughout my college career is to try to discover innovative ways to combine the experimental production techniques that I learned in my classes with more traditional songwriting structures. In doing so, I explore the line that distinguishes the two from each other and instill a foreign, yet familiar feeling within the listener. With this approach in mind, I created audio for a variety of media and attempted to push myself in terms of genre and production, ultimately allowing myself to survey a multitude of instruments and audio effects outside of what I learned in my classes. In my portfolio, I have an organized layout of my audio work within the categories of film soundtracks, game audio, and original music, along with how to contact me and information about the licensing of my music. In learning how to create a professional online portfolio, I learned more about the business side of music and where I stand regarding how people listen to my music or use it within their own projects. The process of creating my portfolio taught me a lot about the relationships that I want to pursue with artists that I work with in the future. My portfolio can be found at: markusrennemann.weebly.com
ContributorsRennemann, Markus Horst Florian (Author) / Ingalls, Todd (Thesis director) / Paine, Garth (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Arts, Media and Engineering (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Along with the number of technologies that have been introduced over a few years ago, gesture-based human-computer interactions are becoming the new phase in encompassing the creativity and abilities for users to communicate and interact with devices. Because of how the nature of defining free-space gestures influence user's preference and the length of usability of gesture-driven devices, defined low-stress and intuitive gestures for users to interact with gesture recognition systems are necessary to consider. To measure stress, a Galvanic Skin Response instrument was used as a primary indicator, which provided evidence of the relationship between stress and intuitive gestures, as well as user preferences towards certain tasks and gestures during performance. Fifteen participants engaged in creating and performing their own gestures for specified tasks that would be required during the use of free-space gesture-driven devices. The tasks include "activation of the display," scroll, page, selection, undo, and "return to main menu." They were also asked to repeat their gestures for around ten seconds each, which would give them time and further insight of how their gestures would be appropriate or not for them and any given task. Surveys were given at different time to the users: one after they had defined their gestures and another after they had repeated their gestures. In the surveys, they ranked their gestures based on comfort, intuition, and the ease of communication. Out of those user-ranked gestures, health-efficient gestures, given that the participants' rankings were based on comfort and intuition, were chosen in regards to the highest ranked gestures.
ContributorsLam, Christine (Author) / Walker, Erin (Thesis director) / Danielescu, Andreea (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering (Contributor) / School of Arts, Media and Engineering (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor) / Computing and Informatics Program (Contributor)
Created2015-05
DescriptionUtilizing non-western mythology, narratives, and stories as the inspiration for a four part illustration series. Documenting the research of various myths surrounding certain stars and constellations as well as the technical process of creating the digital paintings which comprised the final output of the project.
ContributorsBoccieri, Alexa Eliana (Author) / Swanner, Leandra (Thesis director) / Heywood, William (Committee member) / School of Arts, Media and Engineering (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
The objective of this creative project was to gain experience in digital modeling, animation, coding, shader development and implementation, model integration techniques, and application of gaming principles and design through developing a professional educational game. The team collaborated with Glendale Community College (GCC) to produce an interactive product intended to supplement educational instructions regarding nutrition. The educational game developed, "Nutribots" features the player acting as a nutrition based nanobot sent to the small intestine to help the body. Throughout the game the player will be asked nutrition based questions to test their knowledge of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. If the player is unable to answer the question, they must use game mechanics to progress and receive the information as a reward. The level is completed as soon as the question is answered correctly. If the player answers the questions incorrectly twenty times within the entirety of the game, the team loses faith in the player, and the player must reset from title screen. This is to limit guessing and to make sure the player retains the information through repetition once it is demonstrated that they do not know the answers. The team was split into two different groups for the development of this game. The first part of the team developed models, animations, and textures using Autodesk Maya 2016 and Marvelous Designer. The second part of the team developed code and shaders, and implemented products from the first team using Unity and Visual Studio. Once a prototype of the game was developed, it was show-cased amongst peers to gain feedback. Upon receiving feedback, the team implemented the desired changes accordingly. Development for this project began on November 2015 and ended on April 2017. Special thanks to Laura Avila Department Chair and Jennifer Nolz from Glendale Community College Technology and Consumer Sciences, Food and Nutrition Department.
ContributorsNolz, Daisy (Co-author) / Martin, Austin (Co-author) / Quinio, Santiago (Co-author) / Armstrong, Jessica (Co-author) / Kobayashi, Yoshihiro (Thesis director) / Valderrama, Jamie (Committee member) / School of Arts, Media and Engineering (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / Computing and Informatics Program (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05