University Projects

In today's session, we played around with the components, boards etc. that were laid on the table.  We successfully built a tone generator by following a manual, and was relatively simple as the pieces magnetically snapped together. Using a speaker, buttons and a dial which alters frequency, a tone was generated from these components. We spoke about 'hacking' different devices - specifically a mouse and how the left, right buttons and scroll bar can be controlled using different objects/sensors/switches. This can make game play or even using a screen very interesting as the user's experience becomes very interactive.

Ideas for Storytelling on a next generation Technology Standalone Headsets are known to be the next generation headset for virtual reality technology.  VR already enables gamer's to interpret a game in a 3D environment therefore making storytelling possible. Having a standalone VR headset means that the headset will be able to power itself without having to be plugged into the computer or portable device making game play even more realistic as you can be more mobile. Oculus Rift are the next company to release their headset as a standalone headset next year.  This headset would give adventurous story-based games such as Skyrim more of a realistic feel as you won't have to re-adjust the headset or are restricted in movement as the device would be completely wireless. The target audience would most likely be 15 - 25 year olds as this age range is more likely to frequently play video games compared to other age ranges. Bibliography & References [1...

I really like the idea of Lego X as it enables individuals who may not have any engineering or design skills to be able to design products and visualise their idea's without using complex programs or mathematical skill. Using Lego blocks with a type of motion sensor underneath each block, the application used on the tablet is designed to track where the pieces of Lego are being placed. An accelerometer sensor could have been used as it measures the changes in gravitational acceleration to sense motion in multiple directions. This technology is interesting as the structure built from the Lego blocks can be used to form different objects. The Lego blocks can go from being cuboid shaped to being smoothed and rounded to form other objects such as a toy plane. Additionally, the application supports 3D printing software meaning that the structure built from Lego can be physically made. I really like the idea of Toot as it allows young children to explore and interact with p...

After observing the SEGA Prize Zone Arcade located in the Galleria, Hatfield and asking questions to their employees about the arcade, I gained a better understanding of the running of the arcade and how it is operated. How does it work? Instead of using cash to play the games like in a more traditional arcade, most machines worked by using a SEGA top-up card given when you transfer a minimum of £5. You can continue to top-up the card as much as you wish in multiples of fives. Similar to using an oyster card or a laundry card, by tapping the card on a reader on a specific game allowed the user to play the game. Additionally, physical tickets are given once a player has played a game which can be cashed in and exchanged for prizes. The only exception to this is the grabbing machines and the 2P machines. Why is it in the mall? SEGA is a new addition to the Galleria opening in December 2016.  I imagine it was added due to the amount of families with childr...