For the past few decades, researchers have increased our understanding of how sound functions within various audio–visual media formats. With a different focus in mind, this study aims to identify the roles and functions of sound in relation to the game form Audio Games, in order to explore the potential of sound when acting as an autonomous narrative form. Because this is still a relatively unexplored research field, the main purpose of this study is to help establish a theoretical ground and stimulate further research within the field of audio games. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach to the topic, this research relies on theoretical studies, examinations of audio games and contact with the audio game community. In order to reveal the roles of sound, the gathered data is analyzed according to both a contextual and a functional perspective. The research shows that a distinction between the terms ‘function’ and ‘role’ is important when analyzing sound in digital games. The analysis therefore results in the identification of two analytical levels that help define the functions and roles of an entity within a social context, named the Functional and the Interfunctional levels. In addition to successfully identifying three main roles of sound within audio games—each describing the relationship between sound and the entities game system, player and virtual environment—many other issues are also addressed. Consequently, and in accordance with its purpose, this study provides a broad foundation for further research of sound in both audio games and video games.

Žmogaus intelektas skirtingai pasireiškia priimant tam tikrus individualius ir grupinius sprendimus, todėl siekiama, jog sukurtos interakyvios mokomosios priemonės skatintų geriau realizuoti individualias psichofizines savybes. Taktinio mąstymo dėka žaidėjas analizuoja, pasirenka strategiją, kurią taikydamas priima geriausią situacijos sprendimą ir konkrečius veiksmus užsibrėžtam tikslui pasiekti. Dirbant pedagoginį darbą pastebėjau pasyvų mokinių požiūrį į kūno kultūrą, į sportą, todėl ryžausi panaudojus mokymo procese šiuolaikines informacines technologijas sukurti bei ištirti visame pasaulyje populiaraus žaidimo - krepšnio derinių mokomąją priemonę. Atlikus egzistuojančių programinių priemonių analizę, tikslas buvo įgyvendintas dviem realizacijom:  Su Testtool sistema buvo sukurta testavimui skirta mokomoji priemonė „TestTool Krepšinio deriniai“.  Adaptavus kitos sporto šakos - rankinio derinių, kūrimo aplinką DrillCad, sukurta priemonė „Basketball Drill Cad“, skirta modeliuoti taktiniams krepšinio deriniams. Kūrimo metu buvo naudojama Adobe Flex programavimo aplinka, php programavimo kalba, MySQL duomenų bazė ir kitos technologijos tinklalapiui sukurti bei derinių vaizdavimo sistemai vystyti. Priemonės platinimui ir grįžtamajam ryšiui gauti sukurta atskira svetainė, kuri gali būti naudojama į virtualią mokymosi aplinką Moodle. Abi sukurtas priemones įvertino 6 ekspertai. „TestTool Krepšinio deriniai“ priemonę ekspertai teigiamai įvertino kaip efektyvią dėl... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Human intelligence operates differently when making certain individual or sectional decisions, therefore it is sought that created interactive tools for learning would stimulate a better realization of individual psychophysical characteristics. Through tactical thinking, a player analyzes, chooses a particular strategy, by which application he makes best decision in a situation and makes concrete actions in order to reach a set goal. When working a pedagogical work, I have noticed a passive schoolchildren‘s attitude towards physical culture and sports, so I have decided to create and examine a tool for learning “Krepšinio deriniai” by using contemporary information technologies in the study process. Having accomplished an analysis of existing programmable tools, the aim was realized into two realizations: • With Testtool system a tool for education “Testtool Krepšinio deriniai” (Testtool basketball drills) was created. • Having adapted a creation environment DrillCad for another sports that is handball combinations, a tool „Basketball Drill Cad“ for designing tactical basketball combinations was created. During the creation, Adobe Flex programming environment, php programming language, MySQL data basis and other technologies were used for the creation of website and development of a system for the representation of combinations. In order to get feedback and for the distribution of tool, a separate website was created, which can be used as a virtual learning... [to full text]

[Truncated abstract] Virtual sculpting is an interactive 3D modeling process that allows users to create and modify solid objects in a virtual world, with applications in art, rapid proto- typing and design. This thesis investigates methods for a collaborative, voxel-based virtual sculpting with haptic force-feedback. The objective is to devise such a system that operates in real-time. I make three main contributions in the fields of voxel-based virtual sculpting, haptics and collaborative virtual environments. First, I have devised a method for virtual sculpting where a voxel-based sculpture is created using a tool to build up or erode material. In existing real-time systems, due to the complexity of the algorithms that determine which voxels have been touched by the tool in a given time-step, the size or shape of the sculpting tool is limited and can often only be applied at a fixed orientation. My solution allows the tool to take the shape of any arbitrary triangle-based polyhedron that can be applied at any orientation. To determine which voxels are intersected by the tool, the tool is voxelized (converted into its discrete voxel representation) at each time-step against the voxels of the sculpture, which are then modified according to the desired operation. To give the resulting voxel-based sculpture a realistic appearance, I use the well-known Marching Cubes algorithm to form a triangular- mesh isosurface where the voxels representing sculpture material meet free-space. '...' For this I have borrowed concepts from the existing Voxmap-PointShell (VPS) model where the tool is represented by an array of points that cover its surface, each of which is tested for collisions with the sculpture. Each colliding point will form a component force, and the overall collision force is the vector sum of these components. My model is unique in that the component forces are formed in a direction tangential to the isosurface nearest the voxel of collision and can operate while the voxels of the sculpture are changing. While the VPS model is designed for force-feedback on a 6- degrees-of-freedom haptic device (delivers translational and rotational forces to the user), my model is designed to suit commodity 3-degrees-of-freedom (translational forces only) devices which are much more common. Third, I have developed a collaborative virtual sculpting paradigm to allow several users to simultaneously work on the same sculpture from different locations. This allows collaborative design without the requirement of being co-present. I will discuss methods for relaying the rapidly changing voxel and isosurface data between workstations, such that the local environment on each is synchronized in a manner that is immediate and transparent to the users. In addition, collisions between the different users' tools are felt through force-feedback. I implemented a collaborative haptic virtual sculpting simulation using the above methods in order to validate the system. The simulation was used to test the capabilities and limits of each contribution, as well as the real-time capability of the overall system. Ultimately this thesis demonstrates that it is possible to combine these technologies to form a flexible and intuitive collaborative virtual sculpting experience that operates in real-time.

Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία πραγματεύεται την ανάπτυξη μιας εφαρμογής επεξεργασίας και δημιουργίας 3D ανθρωποειδών για χρήση σε Δικτυακά Εικονικά Περιβάλλοντα. Η εφαρμογή επιτρέπει την μοντελοποιηση και σύνθεση ενός 3D ανθρωποειδούς χρησιμοποιώντας έναν αριθμό απο έτοιμα αντικείμενα. Η ανάπτυξη της εφαρμογής έγινε με γλώσσα Java στην πλατφόρμα Eclipse, ενώ οι 3D τεχνολογίες που υποστηρίζει είναι οι VRML / X3D και H-Anim. / The main objective of this work is the development of a Java-based application for the creation and editing of 3d Humanoid Avatars intended to be used specifically for Networked Virtual Environments. The application supports the modelling and synthesis of a 3D avatar using already existing primitives. The tool was developed using the Eclipse platform, and the supported 3D technologies are VRML / X3D and the H-Anim standard.

Esta Tese integra-se ao leque de pesquisas já desenvolvidas pelo NIEE (Núcleo de Informática na Educação Especial) da UFRGS (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul) para potencializar o processo de info-inclusão. A partir da perspectiva do usuário com limitação visual, objetiva estudar os aspectos fundamentais em Ambientes Virtuais para que atendam à Acessibilidade, Usabilidade e Comunicabilidade para com deficientes visuais no contexto do Desenho Universal. O referencial teórico traz informações atinentes aos Espaços Virtuais, às Tecnologias Assistivas, aos Padrões de Desenvolvimento Web e aos Conceitos de Qualidade de Uso de Sistemas. Durante a análise desta Tese, motivados por um Estudo Prévio em um Ambiente de Ensino a Distância, propusemo-nos a investigar três interfaces: dois sites e um ambiente inclusivo, que já possuíam o selo de acessibilidade. Coletamos dados por meio de mecanismos de validação automáticos e manuais. Durante a validação manual, os itens obscuros das interfaces, trazidos por usuários deficientes visuais, impulsionaram a análise e a discussão, possibilitando eleger categorias e pontuar aspectos considerados fundamentais para se ter um ambiente com qualidade de uso. Nesse contexto, discutimos a validade do rótulo de acessibilidade, a necessidade de uma Web Semântica e a importância da validação manual com usuários reais. / This thesis is part of a group of researches developed by the NIEE (Departament of Informatic in Special Education) of UFRGS (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul) to improve the process of info-inclusion. Through the perspective of the user with visual limitation, the objective of this research is to study the fundamental aspects in Virtual Environments so they can provide Accessibility, Usability and Communicability to the visual disabled users in the context of the Universal Design. The theoretical references bring information about Virtual Spaces, Assistive Technologies, Web Development Standards, and Concepts of Quality in the Use of Systems. During the analysis of this thesis, motivated by a Previous Study in a Distance Learning Environment, we proposed to investigate three interfaces: two websites and an inclusive environment that already had the accessibility label. We collected data through automatic and manual mechanisms of validation. During the manual validation, the obscure items of the interfaces, brought by visual disabled users, motivated the analysis and the discussion, making it possible to define categories and aspects considered fundamental to have an environment with quality of usage. In this context, we have discussed the validity of the accessibility label, the necessity of a Semantic Web and the importance of the manual validation with real users.

Investigamos o potencial colaborativo mediador das Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC) livres, por meio da ferramenta de atividade wiki do Moodle. A meta era mudar o modo de produção no processo escolar presencial, semi-presencial e a distância e maior fluência em Ciência e Tecnologia na vida cotidiana. Propusemos a realização de um processo de investigação-ação escolar, com atividades de estudo mediadas pelo wiki do Moodle. Nos balizamos pelos conceitos de diálogo-problematizador, colaboração e autonomia, essenciais na interação escolar mediada pelas TIC livres, em especial nos Ambientes Virtuais de Ensino-Aprendizagem. Como resultado principal sinalizamos limites, desafios e avanços da referida mediação tecnológica educacional no escopo colaborativoescolar. / In this work we have investigated the collaborative mediation potential of free Communication and Information Technologies (CIT) present at the activity tool in Moodle's wiki. The objective was to change the way production occurs at presence, semi-presence and distance school processes and, to give greater fluency to Science and Technology in daily life. It was proposed the implementation of a school action research process with the school activities mediated by Moodle's wiki. We monitored our work with the concepts of a problem posing dialogue, collaboration and autonomy that are essential to school interactions mediated by free CIT, especially in a Virtual Teaching and Learning Environment. As a result from this work we delimitated the limits, challenges and advances of this educational technological mediation in a school collaborative scope.

Esta dissertação aborda a problemática da evasão na Educação a Distância, um fato crucial que afeta a maioria dos cursos na modalidade a distância. Observou-se a importância do diálogo para a permanência de um aluno em um curso nesta modalidade. O diálogo foi analisado sob uma perspectiva freireana e piagetiana. As interações realizadas ao longo do curso permitiram verificar quão importante é o diálogo para que um aluno continue fazendo parte de um curso ou disciplina na modalidade a distância.. Foram analisados diversos recursos que permitiam interações entre os atores do processo, enfocando-se cinco categorias que permitissem identificar a ocorrência de diálogo: cooperação, incentivo, eqüidade na relação, participação contínua e geração de conhecimento. Todas as interações foram analisadas, observando se as conversas mantidas entre os integrantes do curso podiam ser identificadas dentro de uma dessas categorias ou mais. Sempre que estas foram identificadas, aquela interação foi catalogada para posterior estudo. A participação contínua foi observada dependendo da quantidade de interações realizadas por um aluno, durante um determinado período. (Continua). Para abalizar o que se buscava, estudaram-se as interações entre os educandos de um curso na modalidade a distância, mediado pela web, utilizando o ambiente TelEduc. O curso escolhido para realizar a pesquisa foi desenvolvido entre junho e julho de 2003. Os alunos desse curso eram todos professores da Educação Profissional das Escolas Técnicas do Rio Grande do Sul. Com o estudo efetuado, pôde-se verificar que os alunos que tiveram participação efetiva no curso, em ocorrências de diálogo, foram os que concluíram ou, pelo menos, os que permaneceram mais tempo no curso. Os resultados encontrados apontam para a necessidade de diálogo entre educadores e educandos e entre os próprios educandos, a fim de gerar a motivação necessária para que um aluno se mantenha em um curso ou disciplina na modalidade a distância. Além disso, espera-se que este estudo possa contribuir para os mais diversos cursos nesta modalidade. / The present work investigates the evasion phenomenon in distance education as it has been affecting most of the courses offered under this mode. The interactions that took place throughout the course allowed us to see how important the dialogue is so that a student goes on making part of a course in distance education mode. The important role of the dialogue then, for maintening a student in a distance education course until its end was analysed based on the theories of Paulo freire and Jean Piaget. Several resources were then analysed under five categories for promoting the actors in the process to interact. The categories were: cooperation, incentive, fairness in the relation, continuous paticipation and knowlAE2e construction. All interactions were analized and labled under one or more of those five categories. The continuous participation was observed depending on the amount of interactions a given student had had in a given length of time. The course under investigation was carried out at Teleduc, being developed in June and July of 2003. The students were all teachers working at Technical Education at Technical Schools of Rio Grande do Sul. It was possible to check that the students with a more effective participation all long the course were the same students who concluded it or the ones who have remained for a longer time in the course before quiting it. The results show the need of the dialogue among teachers and students and among the students themselves, in a way that each students feels himself/herself more and more motivated for concluding a course in this diatance mode. We hope this study may contribute to other researches.

Em um ambiente virtual, construído com o uso de tecnologia computacional, encontram-se presentes entidades virtuais inseridas em um espaço tridimensional, que é utilizado para a simulação de processos críticos, como os acidentes radiológicos. A pronta detecção de um acidente radiológico e a determinação da sua possível extensão são fatores essenciais para o planejamento de respostas imediatas e de ações de emergência. A integração das representações georeferenciadas do espaço tridimensional, com modelos baseados em agentes autônomos, com o objetivo de construir ambientes virtuais que tenham a capacidade de simular acidentes radiológicos é a proposta dessa tese. As representações georeferenciadas do espaço tridimensional candidatas são: i)as representações espaciais usadas nos sistemas de informações geográficas (SIG) e ii) a representação adotada pelo Google MapsTM. Com o uso deste ambiente pode-se: quantificar as doses recebidas pelas pessoas; ter uma distribuição espacial das pessoas contaminadas; estimar o número de indivíduos contaminados; estimar o impacto na rede de saúde; estimar impactos ambientais; gerar zonas de exclusão; construir cenários alternativos; treinar pessoal técnico para lidar com acidentes radiológicos. / In a virtual environment, built with the use of computer technology, there are virtual entities, inserted into a virtual three-dimensional space, which is used to simulate critical processes, such as radiological accidents. Early detection of a radiological accident and determining its possible extension are essential for planning an immediate response and emergency actions. The purpose of this thesis is to build virtual environments that have the ability to simulate radiological accidents. These virtual environments are based on the integration of georeferenced representations of the three dimensional space with autonomous agents-based models. The georeferenced representations candidates are: i) the spatial representation used in geographic information systems (GIS); ii) the representation adopted by Google MapsTM. Using these virtual environments, in case of occurrences of radiological accidents, it will be possible to quantify the doses received by people, have a spatial distribution of infected persons; estimate the number of infected individuals; estimate the impact on the health network, estimate environmental impacts, generate exclusion zones, building scenarios alternative; train staff for dealing with these accidents.

Esta Tese integra-se ao leque de pesquisas já desenvolvidas pelo NIEE (Núcleo de Informática na Educação Especial) da UFRGS (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul) para potencializar o processo de info-inclusão. A partir da perspectiva do usuário com limitação visual, objetiva estudar os aspectos fundamentais em Ambientes Virtuais para que atendam à Acessibilidade, Usabilidade e Comunicabilidade para com deficientes visuais no contexto do Desenho Universal. O referencial teórico traz informações atinentes aos Espaços Virtuais, às Tecnologias Assistivas, aos Padrões de Desenvolvimento Web e aos Conceitos de Qualidade de Uso de Sistemas. Durante a análise desta Tese, motivados por um Estudo Prévio em um Ambiente de Ensino a Distância, propusemo-nos a investigar três interfaces: dois sites e um ambiente inclusivo, que já possuíam o selo de acessibilidade. Coletamos dados por meio de mecanismos de validação automáticos e manuais. Durante a validação manual, os itens obscuros das interfaces, trazidos por usuários deficientes visuais, impulsionaram a análise e a discussão, possibilitando eleger categorias e pontuar aspectos considerados fundamentais para se ter um ambiente com qualidade de uso. Nesse contexto, discutimos a validade do rótulo de acessibilidade, a necessidade de uma Web Semântica e a importância da validação manual com usuários reais. / This thesis is part of a group of researches developed by the NIEE (Departament of Informatic in Special Education) of UFRGS (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul) to improve the process of info-inclusion. Through the perspective of the user with visual limitation, the objective of this research is to study the fundamental aspects in Virtual Environments so they can provide Accessibility, Usability and Communicability to the visual disabled users in the context of the Universal Design. The theoretical references bring information about Virtual Spaces, Assistive Technologies, Web Development Standards, and Concepts of Quality in the Use of Systems. During the analysis of this thesis, motivated by a Previous Study in a Distance Learning Environment, we proposed to investigate three interfaces: two websites and an inclusive environment that already had the accessibility label. We collected data through automatic and manual mechanisms of validation. During the manual validation, the obscure items of the interfaces, brought by visual disabled users, motivated the analysis and the discussion, making it possible to define categories and aspects considered fundamental to have an environment with quality of usage. In this context, we have discussed the validity of the accessibility label, the necessity of a Semantic Web and the importance of the manual validation with real users.

Esta dissertação aborda a problemática da evasão na Educação a Distância, um fato crucial que afeta a maioria dos cursos na modalidade a distância. Observou-se a importância do diálogo para a permanência de um aluno em um curso nesta modalidade. O diálogo foi analisado sob uma perspectiva freireana e piagetiana. As interações realizadas ao longo do curso permitiram verificar quão importante é o diálogo para que um aluno continue fazendo parte de um curso ou disciplina na modalidade a distância.. Foram analisados diversos recursos que permitiam interações entre os atores do processo, enfocando-se cinco categorias que permitissem identificar a ocorrência de diálogo: cooperação, incentivo, eqüidade na relação, participação contínua e geração de conhecimento. Todas as interações foram analisadas, observando se as conversas mantidas entre os integrantes do curso podiam ser identificadas dentro de uma dessas categorias ou mais. Sempre que estas foram identificadas, aquela interação foi catalogada para posterior estudo. A participação contínua foi observada dependendo da quantidade de interações realizadas por um aluno, durante um determinado período. (Continua). Para abalizar o que se buscava, estudaram-se as interações entre os educandos de um curso na modalidade a distância, mediado pela web, utilizando o ambiente TelEduc. O curso escolhido para realizar a pesquisa foi desenvolvido entre junho e julho de 2003. Os alunos desse curso eram todos professores da Educação Profissional das Escolas Técnicas do Rio Grande do Sul. Com o estudo efetuado, pôde-se verificar que os alunos que tiveram participação efetiva no curso, em ocorrências de diálogo, foram os que concluíram ou, pelo menos, os que permaneceram mais tempo no curso. Os resultados encontrados apontam para a necessidade de diálogo entre educadores e educandos e entre os próprios educandos, a fim de gerar a motivação necessária para que um aluno se mantenha em um curso ou disciplina na modalidade a distância. Além disso, espera-se que este estudo possa contribuir para os mais diversos cursos nesta modalidade. / The present work investigates the evasion phenomenon in distance education as it has been affecting most of the courses offered under this mode. The interactions that took place throughout the course allowed us to see how important the dialogue is so that a student goes on making part of a course in distance education mode. The important role of the dialogue then, for maintening a student in a distance education course until its end was analysed based on the theories of Paulo freire and Jean Piaget. Several resources were then analysed under five categories for promoting the actors in the process to interact. The categories were: cooperation, incentive, fairness in the relation, continuous paticipation and knowlAE2e construction. All interactions were analized and labled under one or more of those five categories. The continuous participation was observed depending on the amount of interactions a given student had had in a given length of time. The course under investigation was carried out at Teleduc, being developed in June and July of 2003. The students were all teachers working at Technical Education at Technical Schools of Rio Grande do Sul. It was possible to check that the students with a more effective participation all long the course were the same students who concluded it or the ones who have remained for a longer time in the course before quiting it. The results show the need of the dialogue among teachers and students and among the students themselves, in a way that each students feels himself/herself more and more motivated for concluding a course in this diatance mode. We hope this study may contribute to other researches.