2021
Authors
Ferreira, J; Mendes, D; Nobrega, R; Rodrigues, R;
Publication
2021 IEEE CONFERENCE ON VIRTUAL REALITY AND 3D USER INTERFACES ABSTRACTS AND WORKSHOPS (VRW 2021)
Abstract
We present VR Designer, a tool for expediting the creation 3D scenes inside VR. It uses controllers and voice commands to create and manipulate primitives and objects imported from openly available repositories. We use modifiers to accelerate repetitive tasks, resorting to procedural content creation techniques to automate the workflow. The tool allows non-expert users to quickly create scenes for contexts such as training or education. We also conducted a user study to validate VR Designer.
2021
Authors
Pinho, F; Nóbrega, R; Rodrigues, R;
Publication
International Conference on Graphics and Interaction, ICGI 2021, Porto, Portugal, November 4-5, 2021
Abstract
Immersive Interactive 360° videos, experienced through Head-Mounted Displays (HMD), constitute a particular case of VR applications for which it is relatively easy to record content nowadays, and that can be explored as a game format. We therefore explore the idea of using live action 360° videos as the basis for immersive adventure games. In particular, we explore possible interactions in immersive adventure games based on 360° videos, in terms of game elements and mechanics, and the player's interface with those. To support this, we developed a browser-based framework for creating such games, and conducted a user study with a game created specifically for that purpose. The results obtained indicate a high level of satisfaction with the chosen control schemes and game mechanics, and suggest that the framework can be used to create this kind of experience.
2021
Authors
Statham, N; Jacob, J; Fridenfalk, M; Rodrigues, R;
Publication
Entertainment Computing - ICEC 2021 - 20th IFIP TC 14 International Conference, ICEC 2021, Coimbra, Portugal, November 2-5, 2021, Proceedings
Abstract
Existing architectural locations are often recreated in games using unique “hero” meshes instead of modular assets, which in these cases are commonly perceived as too limited or inaccurate. This applies to real-world locations or, as in this case study, transmedia locations. This study proposes that hero meshes are not always necessary and that modular assets have the potential to recreate even complex architecture. The paper presents a set of development steps for modular assets for game environment art according to a game design lifecycle, and proceeds to demonstrate its potential via a case study. The case study focuses on planning and designing steps; these preliminary results indicate that, when well-designed, modular assets have the potential to recreate complex architectural locations without requiring extensive use of hero meshes. Adopting modular assets instead of hero meshes could potentially reduce the cost and development time of environment art for transmedia games and games featuring real-world architectural locations, as well as increase the reusability of such assets. © 2021, IFIP International Federation for Information Processing.
2021
Authors
Paredes, H; Paulino, D; Barroso, J; Abrantes, C; Machado, I; Silva, I;
Publication
54th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2021, Kauai, Hawaii, USA, January 5, 2021
Abstract
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) main symptom is intermittent claudication, causing pain and limiting the walking abilities of patients, forcing individuals to temporarily stop walking. One treatment advised to counteract the effects of this disease is the practice of physical exercise with monitoring. Currently the monitored exercise programs are applied at the hospital, so some patients have to travel long distances three times a week, with high costs and low adherence of the patients. This paper presents the cocreation process of a mobile application for quantified supervised home-based exercise therapy on PAD patients. The study aimed to design a solution adapted to users' needs, which collects the necessary information for the therapy supervision by health professionals. The users' behaviour with the application allowed the assessment to a set of limitations and potential sources of noise in the supervision data that suggest the evolution to a pervasive solution, by minimizing, or even eliminating, the interaction with the users. The developed tool is a first step towards the creation of a technological ecosystem for the prescription of supervised therapeutic physical exercise, which leverages self-care and allows access to this type of therapy to the entire population. Cardiovascular disease represents a considerable economic burden to society, therefore effective preventive measures are necessary.
2021
Authors
Paulino, D; Correia, A; Barroso, J; Liberato, M; Paredes, H;
Publication
Trends and Applications in Information Systems and Technologies - Volume 2, WorldCIST 2021, Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal, 30 March - 2 April, 2021.
Abstract
The harsh impacts of extreme weather events like cyclones or precipitation extremes are increasingly being felt with hazardous consequences. These extreme events are exceptions to well-known weather patterns and therefore are not forecasted with current automatic computational methods. In this context, the use of human computation to annotate extreme atmospheric phenomena could provide novel insights for computational forecasting algorithms and a step forward in climate change research by enabling the early detection of abnormal weather conditions. However, existing crowd computing solutions have technological limitations and show several gaps when involving expert crowds. This paper presents a research approach to fulfill some of the technological and knowledge gaps for expert crowds’ participation. A case study on expert annotation of extreme atmospheric phenomena is used as a baseline for an innovative architecture able to support expert crowdsourcing. The full stack service-oriented architecture ensures interoperability and provides an end-to-end approach able to fetch weather data from international databases, generating experts’ visualizations (weather maps), annotating data by expert crowds, and delivering annotated data for processing weather forecasts. An implementation of the architecture suggests that it can deliver an effective mechanism for expert crowd work while solving some of the identified issues with extant platforms. Therefore, we conclude that the proposed architecture has the potential to contribute as an effective annotation solution for extreme weather events. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
2021
Authors
Chaves, R; Schneider, D; Motta, C; Correia, A; Paredes, H; Caetano, B; de Souza, JM;
Publication
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2021 IEEE 24TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COMPUTER SUPPORTED COOPERATIVE WORK IN DESIGN (CSCWD)
Abstract
Over the past decades, the use of digital technologies to support participatory urban planning and design has been repeatedly described as a crucial instrument and critical building block for tackling historical problems of participation in such processes. Social media, e-participation platforms, and crowdsourcing applications are examples of technologies that can involve citizens in decision-making processes and thus leverage the benefits of collective intelligence. However, despite the extensive use of social media platforms, old problems related to engagement and participation still occur in digital initiatives. Successful collaboration examples between citizens, policymakers, and strategic stakeholders are still scarce based on online social practices. This study aims to introduce a collective intelligence model, which combines crowdsourcing and social storytelling to support participatory urban planning and design from a bottom-up perspective. The paper concludes by discussing a scenario where citizens can engage in mapping, taking photos, sending ideas, or even creating collective stories about their university issues in a post-pandemic future.
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