Saturday, March 27, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Initial Graphics and "Theory"
I have designed some boxes to use for the application, I am keeping them the logo colours of the app, to keep the corporate design of the "company". I want to maximise visibility but not take up the whole screen or divert wholly from the camera image. I have designed bright and dim coloured boxes, I feel the dimmer boxes work best with bright text on them. I initially thought that bold text would stand out best but I have now found that large narrow text actually works best as its easier to read from a distance.
I think my favorite of these is the third though I may still change it if I think of anything better.
Whilst my AR app isn't actually going to be designed I am going to include some theory about how the application could work if someone had the funds and infrastructure to make it so.
The image above is a mock up I have made to show how the vehicle tracking could work. The bus would have a GPS tracker which is tracked by satellite, its location is continuously fed via GPRS and the companies secure server to the application on your mobile or accessed through your online account from your home PC. This would save on waiting at a bus stop for a bus to arrive, simply wait at home until the bus comes to you!
I feel technology like this would vastly increase the amount of people using buses and help remove the stereotype of waiting hours in the rain for the bus or train.
I think my favorite of these is the third though I may still change it if I think of anything better.
Whilst my AR app isn't actually going to be designed I am going to include some theory about how the application could work if someone had the funds and infrastructure to make it so.
The image above is a mock up I have made to show how the vehicle tracking could work. The bus would have a GPS tracker which is tracked by satellite, its location is continuously fed via GPRS and the companies secure server to the application on your mobile or accessed through your online account from your home PC. This would save on waiting at a bus stop for a bus to arrive, simply wait at home until the bus comes to you!
I feel technology like this would vastly increase the amount of people using buses and help remove the stereotype of waiting hours in the rain for the bus or train.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Logo Designed and name chosen!
After a few designs I have now settled on a simple logo for my product. I feel it reflects the objectives of the product with quite modern but simple font with a mildly outlandish colour!
The name "TransportUrself" was chosen as it describes the application in two words, connects with the user straight away and also has a young funky edge using slang text.
The name "TransportUrself" was chosen as it describes the application in two words, connects with the user straight away and also has a young funky edge using slang text.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Other Similar Apps
Now I have decided on doing a mobile augmented reality application I am going to look into what's already around and in development, this will help me make sure I am not making an application that has already been thought of and also give me some ideas on ways to implement my application...
Twittaround
I looked at this application in my initial research and think that some of the features of this application would work for my transportation app. I think that using a live feed of some sort would be essential if I am going to have timetables and up to date information.
I also like the way the boxes are laid out on the screen, showing adequate information without cluttering the page. This is also important as you need enough text to give important info without making it too small for the user to read.
TAT Augmented ID
Another application which has good tags is TAT, an application in development which is used to tag yourself with things you like so other people can see when they point their smart phones camera at you, this application is a way to link social network sites and real life without either losing any of its elements. It also looks like a great way for people to network and make new friends.
GunMan
Gunman is a brand new application for the iphone, the app uses colour detection to pick up your friends location with a crosshair, the application works well over 30 yards away. I think this could be used as part of tracking buses and trains along with some other technology, almost as a back up for if a GPS signal was very weak or erratic.
NearestTube
An application that is very similar to mine (so similar I almost died a little bit) is NearestTube, the application uses your GPS location along with preset locations of tube stations to guide you to the nearest tube, the application also tells you which line runs from each station. I am going to use this idea in my application but expand it over all forms of public transport. This will also only be one of many parts to my application.
ARhrrrr
ARhrrrr... no its not an exasperated sigh, its the name of an augmented reality shooter for mobile camera-phones, created at Georgia Tech Augmented Environments Lab and the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD-Atlanta). The phone provides a window into a 3d town overrun with zombies. Point the camera at our special game map to mix virtual and real world content. Civilians are trapped in the town, and must escape before the zombies eat them! From your vantage point in a helicopter overhead, you must shoot the zombies to clear the path for the civilians to get out. Watch out though as the zombies will fight back, throwing bloody organs to bring down your copter. Move the phone quickly to dodge them. You can also use Skittles as tangible inputs to the game, placing one on the board and shooting it to trigger an explosion.
These sites have given me some good ideas and shown there isn't an app exactly like my idea but some quite similar in some ways. With this information I can confidently start development work on my prototype of the application.
Twittaround
I looked at this application in my initial research and think that some of the features of this application would work for my transportation app. I think that using a live feed of some sort would be essential if I am going to have timetables and up to date information.
I also like the way the boxes are laid out on the screen, showing adequate information without cluttering the page. This is also important as you need enough text to give important info without making it too small for the user to read.
TAT Augmented ID
Another application which has good tags is TAT, an application in development which is used to tag yourself with things you like so other people can see when they point their smart phones camera at you, this application is a way to link social network sites and real life without either losing any of its elements. It also looks like a great way for people to network and make new friends.
GunMan
Gunman is a brand new application for the iphone, the app uses colour detection to pick up your friends location with a crosshair, the application works well over 30 yards away. I think this could be used as part of tracking buses and trains along with some other technology, almost as a back up for if a GPS signal was very weak or erratic.
NearestTube
An application that is very similar to mine (so similar I almost died a little bit) is NearestTube, the application uses your GPS location along with preset locations of tube stations to guide you to the nearest tube, the application also tells you which line runs from each station. I am going to use this idea in my application but expand it over all forms of public transport. This will also only be one of many parts to my application.
ARhrrrr
ARhrrrr... no its not an exasperated sigh, its the name of an augmented reality shooter for mobile camera-phones, created at Georgia Tech Augmented Environments Lab and the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD-Atlanta). The phone provides a window into a 3d town overrun with zombies. Point the camera at our special game map to mix virtual and real world content. Civilians are trapped in the town, and must escape before the zombies eat them! From your vantage point in a helicopter overhead, you must shoot the zombies to clear the path for the civilians to get out. Watch out though as the zombies will fight back, throwing bloody organs to bring down your copter. Move the phone quickly to dodge them. You can also use Skittles as tangible inputs to the game, placing one on the board and shooting it to trigger an explosion.
These sites have given me some good ideas and shown there isn't an app exactly like my idea but some quite similar in some ways. With this information I can confidently start development work on my prototype of the application.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
All Change Please, All Change...
Oh dear, its not going well this term in idat204, first I couldn't think of any ideas, then my idea was rubbish, then my idea which was good gets ruined by the schools of Plymouth, then my idea (I have now decided) got rubbish again.
So its time to pack that Augmented Reality game up and start again, I still have a month which is more than enough because I've dreamt up a fantastic idea which I'm hoping isn't already a (Augmented) reality! ( Horr horr horr )
I have decided to change to a mobile application, I feel this will give me a much broader scope for my idea as there is a lot of development in that area at the moment. I feel the application would run on smartphones such as iPhones, Blackberry's and Android's.
The application, called TransportUrself, is an Augmented Reality application used to find the nearest public transport links around you, the application uses the mobile phone’s camera, compass and GPS data to identify the user’s location and field of view, it then retrieves data based on those geographical coordinates, and overlay the data of the public transport locations over the camera view.
TransportUrself will tell the user the location of bus stops, train stations, airports, taxi ranks, trams and the London Underground, and will get its data from the website www.traveline.org.uk and other sources such as tfl.org
When the user presses an onscreen icon they can find out further info such as the bus/train timetable, next due bus, other taxi phone numbers, etc.
I am looking into how feasible this app would be, I doubt I could get a fully functioning model ready for class but possibly some elements available to show.
So its time to pack that Augmented Reality game up and start again, I still have a month which is more than enough because I've dreamt up a fantastic idea which I'm hoping isn't already a (Augmented) reality! ( Horr horr horr )
I have decided to change to a mobile application, I feel this will give me a much broader scope for my idea as there is a lot of development in that area at the moment. I feel the application would run on smartphones such as iPhones, Blackberry's and Android's.
The application, called TransportUrself, is an Augmented Reality application used to find the nearest public transport links around you, the application uses the mobile phone’s camera, compass and GPS data to identify the user’s location and field of view, it then retrieves data based on those geographical coordinates, and overlay the data of the public transport locations over the camera view.
TransportUrself will tell the user the location of bus stops, train stations, airports, taxi ranks, trams and the London Underground, and will get its data from the website www.traveline.org.uk and other sources such as tfl.org
When the user presses an onscreen icon they can find out further info such as the bus/train timetable, next due bus, other taxi phone numbers, etc.
I am looking into how feasible this app would be, I doubt I could get a fully functioning model ready for class but possibly some elements available to show.
Monday, March 1, 2010
The EyeToy is a colour digital camera, similar to a webcam, for the PlayStation 2. The technology uses Computer vision and Gesture recognition to process images taken by the camera. This allows players to interact with games using motion, colour detection and also sound, through its built-in microphone.
As I am looking into the possibility of using webcam I am going to research currently games available for the EyeToy, and see if I can find anything to help influence my project
Eyetoy Games list
SpyToy uses onscreen motion detection, I want to so something very similar with specific areas onscreen that the user must "touch". I am going to try and find a similar code to this. Another one with a similar device is the EyeToy 2.
As I am looking into the possibility of using webcam I am going to research currently games available for the EyeToy, and see if I can find anything to help influence my project
Eyetoy Games list
Review Score: 7.4
Review Score: 80.1%
Review Score: TBA
Review Score: 7.3
Review Score: TBA
Review Score: TBA
Review Score: 7.3
Review Score: TBA
Review Score: TBA
Review Score: TBA
Review Score: TBA
Review Score: TBA
Review Score: TBA
Review Score: 84%
SingStar Party (SingStar 2)
Review Score: TBA
Review Score: 4.2
I have picked my favorate technology from the list below I feel it would be beneficial technologically to my game and I will pursue similar code to do the same thing.
SpyToy
I have picked my favorate technology from the list below I feel it would be beneficial technologically to my game and I will pursue similar code to do the same thing.
SpyToy
SpyToy uses onscreen motion detection, I want to so something very similar with specific areas onscreen that the user must "touch". I am going to try and find a similar code to this. Another one with a similar device is the EyeToy 2.
No Replys
After two weeks waiting and doing some basic developments I have concluded that clearly the schools in Plymouth aren't interested in new technologies for teaching their students as I have received absolutely no form of reply from any of the primary schools in Plymouth. Therefore I have decided to ditch the idea of creating an interactive application for children's education and am going to use the application for entertainment purposes.
I am going to look in more depth at the eyetoy games developed by Sony and try to take inspiration to create a completely unique game from the technology. I now only have a month to complete this so am going to have to be very proactive with my application.
I am going to look in more depth at the eyetoy games developed by Sony and try to take inspiration to create a completely unique game from the technology. I now only have a month to complete this so am going to have to be very proactive with my application.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Non-augmented reality Maths games
Below I have listed a number of non-augmented reality games to help children at primary school learn maths. I feel that the looking at the way the children learn maths nowadays will be extremely useful and will help me build upon what the schools tell me. Whilst I wait for replies from the schools I want to keep focused on the project and also come up with a few ideas for the game. The games have come from various websites, but I feel the best standard of games came from the CoolMath website which had games which were visually very interesting but also built up the children's maths knowledge gradually. The worst from the big websites I found was suprisingly the BBC, the games were very poorly made and were based very much on eduction, this is fine but it means that kids will not engage with the games, I feel this is important as it means they might want to play them in their free time.
Mathonaire
This game is a parody of 'Who wants to be a Millionaire' I feel this works well for people of my age but don't know if kids would be as receptive to the game as it is doubtful they watch the program. I will try find out if this is true when I get a response from one of the schools.
Castle Defence
This game works in the same way as the popular Tower Defence games, I feel this would definitely work with kids as long as they enjoy these sorts of games as it is very similar but with an educational twist.
MouseTrap
Mousetrap is a maths-logic game similar to the popular game Chat Noir but with a level system. The game works well but doesn't really teach much maths in my opinion, although it does improve logic.
BBC Maths Games
These series of games are very poor in my opinion, using basic flash in most, although they are very educational. I think these will be useful for ideas on content but not design
SpaceRacer
Space Racer is somewhat similar to the game Asteroids, the user must avoid asteroids by answering maths questions, this game is really interesting in my opinion as it has a score based system meaning friends can compete against one and other.
Mathonaire
This game is a parody of 'Who wants to be a Millionaire' I feel this works well for people of my age but don't know if kids would be as receptive to the game as it is doubtful they watch the program. I will try find out if this is true when I get a response from one of the schools.
Castle Defence
This game works in the same way as the popular Tower Defence games, I feel this would definitely work with kids as long as they enjoy these sorts of games as it is very similar but with an educational twist.
MouseTrap
Mousetrap is a maths-logic game similar to the popular game Chat Noir but with a level system. The game works well but doesn't really teach much maths in my opinion, although it does improve logic.
BBC Maths Games
These series of games are very poor in my opinion, using basic flash in most, although they are very educational. I think these will be useful for ideas on content but not design
SpaceRacer
Space Racer is somewhat similar to the game Asteroids, the user must avoid asteroids by answering maths questions, this game is really interesting in my opinion as it has a score based system meaning friends can compete against one and other.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Schools Contacted
I have now contacted 9 schools about using their pupils to give their opinions on the layout and design of my game, I have also asked for a copy of the curriculum so I can design the game to match what the kids are learning and teach them in a similar way.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Augmented Reality game for kids
I have found this augmented reality game for kids, I think the idea is great and is something I think I'd like to incorporate into mine as at the moment the only physical element is the light the child uses to pick the numbers.
I Can Learn My ABCs: Augmented Reality for the Alphabet
Have you seen the new augmented reality technology being used by everything from GE’s Smart Grid to John Mayer’s new album? With augmented reality, you’re able to interact with your computer by holding a special augmented reality marker in front of the webcam. When the augmented reality software recognizes the marker, it incorporates your picture and your input into the game, demonstration, or music video.
Augmented Reality requires only a webcam and a printer (and a computer, of course)
I was fascinated by augmented reality the first time I came across it. The technology enables a dynamic interaction between the virtual reality of your computer and the actual reality of the physical world. In a way, the concept is similar to the athletics and sports available on a Wii and the fighter pilot controls on Xbox, but all you need for an augmented reality application is a computer with built-in or attached webcam and a printer for printing the special augmented reality markers.
HD Interactive’s first augmented reality application
Our first application using augmented reality technology is I Can Learn My ABCs, which uses letters of the alphabet, each surrounded by special black squares, as the markers. I Can Learn My ABCs is a great tool for introducing or reviewing the letters of the alphabet. When a letter marker is shown to the webcam, I Can Learn My ABCs responds by showing both the upper- and lower-case forms of the letter, modeling the sound(s) the letter makes, and presenting a picture of an object that begins with that letter.
This is all the basic stuff you’d expect in an alphabet-learning program, but the visual interaction component is captivating for small children. There are many educational games and websites for learning letters (my daughters and their cousins like Starfall), but I Can Learn My ABCs is the first application I’m aware of that responds directly to what the child shows the computer.
I Can Learn My ABCs is completely child-directed
In most games, kids are prompted to type a letter after hints are given or questions are asked. In I Can Learn My ABCs, the child directs the action from the very beginning, sorting through the pile of augmented reality markers to select which letter she wants to look at and hear about first. I don’t know if you’ve noticed yet how much kids enjoy being in charge of a game, but my kids love the control that augmented reality gives them.
Easy to install and play
To play I Can Learn My ABCs, simply download the application at the Adobe AIR Marketplace (let your kids play with the free trial; then there is a one-time $5 fee). I Can Learn My ABCs installs locally on your computer; you don’t need an Internet connection to play the game once it’s installed. Print out the alphabet marker cards and cut them out, retaining the entire black square surrounding each letter.
The webcam recognizes the whole square, so be careful in both cutting and holding the letters in front of the webcam. (Set your printer on a high-quality setting, as the black background helps the program recognize each letter marker.) When playing, make sure the entire black square is visible in the camera’s view.
If you don’t have a webcam, I Can Learn My ABCs will automatically switch to keyboard play and respond to keystrokes of the letters the same way it does to the augmented reality markers.
Let me warn you: be sure you don’t need your computer for awhile, or that you start your kids playing on a family computer, because once they start, you’ll hear a lot of “just one more, Daddy, please.”
Sunday, February 7, 2010
My Initial Idea
I plan, if it is possible, to work in collaboration with the Peninsula Medical School to create an Augmented Reality device to assist in the teaching of medical situations to students, the device will work in a similar way to the Layar device, which shows an Augmented Reality on a screen but will be of the human body or dummy, the device will show information, an under the skin view, possibly diseased and non diseased views and instructions on what to do in specific cases, which could be tailored by the teacher.
I feel this interactive teaching along with traditional methods would be more beneficial to students.
My device will be a lot more simple than Layar but I still feel it will work very well.
I would probably use an iPhone if I could find a program that was viable.
The tables below are from a report by Carnegie Mellon University, in May, 1996, the report, lists different technologies and their impacts on medical equipment, I would have to consider this if I were making a piece of equipment for medical purposes.
The full report can be found here.
My other plan is a lot more simple, it is to create an interactive teaching resource, I am thinking of making it for children at a primary school age, I hope to get in contact with a local school have the kids test out products (after getting a CRB check etc) and work with their feedback, I feel this method of development has worked for me best in the past but I will go with an simple idea to begin with.
I feel possibly an interactive application related to space, or geography would work best as they have the potential to be highly interactive. As yet I am still working on what sort of device to use as iPhones won't be widely available in a primary school, if I can get my hands on a Head Mounted display that would probably be the best idea.
There is already an augmented reality device aimed at kids, the Avatar iTag, the child is given a tag which when put under a webcam turns into a 3D animated character, the user downloads the character and when they touch a specific place on the tag card it starts an animation.
This sort of technology could work for education but I feel it is more designed for the initial 'wow' effect so would need another element to keep children interested, possibly some sort of points system or virtual prizes.
I have found a tutorial, to design a program which does essentially the same thing, having watched the tutorial I believe it could be quite hard to achive as I have no expirence with FlashKit and the tutorial is quite advanced.
Augmented Reality Tutorial
I feel that a device like the eyetoy would probably be best in terms of usably and also being realistic for me to create. I will probably make a game which also educates the user, possibly in a similar style to the Poseidon: God of the Seas game, developed by Christian Cook, Gavin Jones and Paul Bird. The game user has to spell words in order to complete the game, this gives education a more fun side (fundication!).
Poseidon: God of the Sea
Below is a mock up of how it could work, its very simple and I'd want to include challenge rounds, possibly if the user reaches 1000 points they unlock a secret game.
I feel this interactive teaching along with traditional methods would be more beneficial to students.
My device will be a lot more simple than Layar but I still feel it will work very well.
I would probably use an iPhone if I could find a program that was viable.
The tables below are from a report by Carnegie Mellon University, in May, 1996, the report, lists different technologies and their impacts on medical equipment, I would have to consider this if I were making a piece of equipment for medical purposes.
The full report can be found here.
My other plan is a lot more simple, it is to create an interactive teaching resource, I am thinking of making it for children at a primary school age, I hope to get in contact with a local school have the kids test out products (after getting a CRB check etc) and work with their feedback, I feel this method of development has worked for me best in the past but I will go with an simple idea to begin with.
I feel possibly an interactive application related to space, or geography would work best as they have the potential to be highly interactive. As yet I am still working on what sort of device to use as iPhones won't be widely available in a primary school, if I can get my hands on a Head Mounted display that would probably be the best idea.
There is already an augmented reality device aimed at kids, the Avatar iTag, the child is given a tag which when put under a webcam turns into a 3D animated character, the user downloads the character and when they touch a specific place on the tag card it starts an animation.
This sort of technology could work for education but I feel it is more designed for the initial 'wow' effect so would need another element to keep children interested, possibly some sort of points system or virtual prizes.
I have found a tutorial, to design a program which does essentially the same thing, having watched the tutorial I believe it could be quite hard to achive as I have no expirence with FlashKit and the tutorial is quite advanced.
Augmented Reality Tutorial
I feel that a device like the eyetoy would probably be best in terms of usably and also being realistic for me to create. I will probably make a game which also educates the user, possibly in a similar style to the Poseidon: God of the Seas game, developed by Christian Cook, Gavin Jones and Paul Bird. The game user has to spell words in order to complete the game, this gives education a more fun side (fundication!).
Poseidon: God of the Sea
Below is a mock up of how it could work, its very simple and I'd want to include challenge rounds, possibly if the user reaches 1000 points they unlock a secret game.
Augmented Reality Research
Below is some research I've done on Augmented Reality technology of the present and ideas of the future, I plan to use this as the basis of my idea.
Layar
Layar is a free application which people can download for their smart phones, it shows what is around you by displaying real time digital information on top of reality through the camera of the mobile phone.
Another app that does a similar job is Twittaround the application uses a similar technique to Layar but as you turn the camera it is possible to see peoples tweets from outside on the side of their houses, the video below shows how it works.
There are a couple of possible future apps that really caught my eye the first of which was a made up Medical Agmented Reality application which could be warn on the Doctors head to see where certain body parts are, I feel such an application would be excellent for teaching and would like to develop an application like this for this project possibly mixing it with the type of application Layar is, displaying information on a display about different body parts or operations.
The second possible technology is one shown by Chris Tough in our previous lecture, it shows a future which people wear glasses, like in the Wizard of Oz example shown by Vlad.
The glasses project advertisements and more interestingly instructions on how to do things like cooking and in this example make a cup of tea. This instructional augmented reality is something I am going to look into including in my own work.
Layar
Layar is a free application which people can download for their smart phones, it shows what is around you by displaying real time digital information on top of reality through the camera of the mobile phone.
Layar is used by holding the phone in front of you like a camera, information is then displayed on top of the camera display view.
For all points of interest which are displayed on the screen, information is shown at the bottom of the screen.
I like the idea of using having digital information over a real life camera view and feel that this could be something I bring into my own work.Another app that does a similar job is Twittaround the application uses a similar technique to Layar but as you turn the camera it is possible to see peoples tweets from outside on the side of their houses, the video below shows how it works.
There are a couple of possible future apps that really caught my eye the first of which was a made up Medical Agmented Reality application which could be warn on the Doctors head to see where certain body parts are, I feel such an application would be excellent for teaching and would like to develop an application like this for this project possibly mixing it with the type of application Layar is, displaying information on a display about different body parts or operations.
The second possible technology is one shown by Chris Tough in our previous lecture, it shows a future which people wear glasses, like in the Wizard of Oz example shown by Vlad.
The glasses project advertisements and more interestingly instructions on how to do things like cooking and in this example make a cup of tea. This instructional augmented reality is something I am going to look into including in my own work.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
New Project - augmented reality
For this module we have been asked to design an example of Augmented Reality. So what is it?
"Augmented reality (AR) is a term for a live direct or indirect view of a physical real-world environment whose elements are merged with (or augmented by) virtual computer-generated imagery - creating a mixed reality. The augmentation is conventionally in real-time and in semantic context with environmental elements, such as sports scores on TV during a match. With the help of advanced AR technology (e.g. adding computer vision and object recognition) the information about the surrounding real world of the user becomes interactive and digitally usable. Artificial information about the environment and the objects in it can be stored and retrieved as an information layer on top of the real world view." - Wikipedia
I think that a good idea for this project would be a app or game for the Nintendo Wii.
I'd like to make it in a similar way to the "yellow "first down" lines seen in television broadcasts of sports games, and the colored trail showing location and direction of the puck in TV broadcasts of hockey games." Wikipedia
This could be for example, in the form of an animal that needs caring for.
"Augmented reality (AR) is a term for a live direct or indirect view of a physical real-world environment whose elements are merged with (or augmented by) virtual computer-generated imagery - creating a mixed reality. The augmentation is conventionally in real-time and in semantic context with environmental elements, such as sports scores on TV during a match. With the help of advanced AR technology (e.g. adding computer vision and object recognition) the information about the surrounding real world of the user becomes interactive and digitally usable. Artificial information about the environment and the objects in it can be stored and retrieved as an information layer on top of the real world view." - Wikipedia
I think that a good idea for this project would be a app or game for the Nintendo Wii.
I'd like to make it in a similar way to the "yellow "first down" lines seen in television broadcasts of sports games, and the colored trail showing location and direction of the puck in TV broadcasts of hockey games." Wikipedia
This could be for example, in the form of an animal that needs caring for.
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