Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:23:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jose Antonio Fonteles Cruz Junior.pdf: 3570381 bytes, checksum: 0714cae52f28c48498fbd5da21b5c0a4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-09-25 / With the expansion of the new technologies, routines and social spheres are affected. The society always develop technologies that served of tool for the realisation of tasks, of the more Simple to the most complex. All the technologies developed until then brought like consequence impacts in the walk of this society and with the new technologies It is not being different. However, the leverage and changes that these devices impose on the contemporary society possess singular characteristics and, besides that, His field of impact is gigantic owed his countless applicabilities in the social spheres. The aim of this work, in the first moment, is to understand this contemporary stage splitting of the theoretical analyses of Castells, Levy, Santaella, Read and Recuero. After understood this current society, split for the theoretical analysis of the impacts of these new technologies in the field of the education. For this, Moran and Machado will be the main theorists. At last, after visualising, of theoretical and practical form, through investigations of institutes and newspapers recognised, arrive to the big aim that is to analyse of practical form, but with knowledge theoretical, like the IESAM (instituito Of upper education of the Amazônia), through the Moodle, if use of a new technology for pedagogical ends and communicational for the upper education / Com o advento das novas tecnologias, rotinas e esferas sociais são afetadas. A sociedade sempre buscou desenvolver tecnologias que servissem de ferramenta para a realização de tarefas, das mais simples às mais complexas. Todas as tecnologias desenvolvidas até então trouxeram como consequência impactos no caminhar dessa sociedade e com as novas tecnologias não está sendo diferente. Entretanto, as influencias e mudanças que estes aparatos impõem sobre a sociedade contemporânea possuem características singulares e, além disso, seu campo de impacto é gigantesco devido as suas inúmeras aplicabilidades nas esferas sociais. O objetivo deste trabalho, no primeiro momento, é entender este cenário contemporâneo partindo das análises teóricas de Castells, Levy, Santaella, Lemos e Recuero. Após entendida esta sociedade atual, partimos para a análise teórica dos impactos destas novas tecnologias no campo da educação. Para isso, Moran e Machado serão os principais teóricos. Por fim, após visualizar, de forma teórica e prática, através de pesquisas de institutos e periódicos reconhecidos, chegamos ao grande objetivo que é analisar de forma prática, mas com embasamento teórico, como o IESAM (instituito de ensino superior da Amazônia), através do Moodle, se apropia de uma nova tecnologia para fins pedagógicos e comunicacionais para o ensino superior

Knowledge about the configuration of an environment is used preferentially when navigating through an urban environment (Penn, 2003). However, it the locus of this effect is poorly understood. One possibility is that the local environment, such as the shape of an intersection, is sufficient to determine route choice in the context of the global configuration of an environment (Meilinger, Franz, & Bülthoff, in press; Meilinger, Knauff & Bülthoff, 2008). Two experiments were performed to investigate this hypothesis using two novel virtual environments, one with a simplistic configuration, and one with a more complicated configuration. In Experiment 1, peripheral vision was either available or constrained throughout a wayfinding task. A significant influence of global configuration information with minimal use of local configuration account was found. In Experiment 2, central vision was either limited to the local intersection or unconstrained. Again, a strong effect of configuration was found, with limited evidence for the use of local visual information. The results support a synergistic mechanism of wayfinding where the environmental configuration is used to inform existing knowledge about the environment.

Ragnarök Online en plats på nätet, ett online-spel, där människor från hela världen möts och samverkar. Det är i detta möte personer emellan som den virtuella miljön Ragnarök Online skapas. Målet med denna uppsats är att visa på hur människor interagerar i, och skapar denna plats på nätet. Varför spenderar folk tid i virtuella miljöer? Är det annorlunda att agera i en virtuell miljö? Dessa är några av de frågor vi kommer att möta i texten. Detta kommer vi att göra tillsammans med invånarna i Ragnarök Online, med dem kommer vi att slåss, jaga och göra hattar. Tillsammans kommer vi att utforska den virtuella miljön av Ragnarök Online. / Ragnarök Online a place on the net, an online game, where people from all over the world meet and interact. In this meeting the virtual environment of Ragnarök Online is created. Because it’s in the meeting between people this virtual place is founded. The goal of this essay is to show how people interact in, and create this place on the net. Why do people spend time in virtual environments? Is it any different to act in a virtual environment? These are some of the questions we will meet in the text. This we will do together whit the inhabitants of this place, we will fight, hunt and make hats ­­– together we will explore the virtual environment of Ragnarök Online.

Knowledge about the configuration of an environment is used preferentially when navigating through an urban environment (Penn, 2003). However, it the locus of this effect is poorly understood. One possibility is that the local environment, such as the shape of an intersection, is sufficient to determine route choice in the context of the global configuration of an environment (Meilinger, Franz, & Bülthoff, in press; Meilinger, Knauff & Bülthoff, 2008). Two experiments were performed to investigate this hypothesis using two novel virtual environments, one with a simplistic configuration, and one with a more complicated configuration. In Experiment 1, peripheral vision was either available or constrained throughout a wayfinding task. A significant influence of global configuration information with minimal use of local configuration account was found. In Experiment 2, central vision was either limited to the local intersection or unconstrained. Again, a strong effect of configuration was found, with limited evidence for the use of local visual information. The results support a synergistic mechanism of wayfinding where the environmental configuration is used to inform existing knowledge about the environment.

In recent years, researchers have developed virtual environments, which allow more realistic human-computer interactions and have become increasingly popular for engineering applications such as computer-aided design and process evaluation. For instance, the demand for product service, remanufacture, and recycling has forced companies to consider ease of assembly and disassembly during the design phase of their products. Evaluating these processes in a virtual environment during the early stages of design not only increases the impact of design modifications on the final product, but also eliminates the time, cost, and material associated with the construction of physical prototypes. Although numerous virtual environments for assembly analysis exist or are under development, many provide only visual feedback. A real-time haptic simulation test bed for the analysis of assembly and disassembly operations has been developed, providing the designer with force and tactile feedback in addition to traditional visual feedback. The development such a simulation requires the modeling of collisions between virtual objects, which is a computationally expensive process. Also, the demands of a real-time simulation incorporating haptic feedback introduce additional complications for reliable collision detection. Therefore, the first objective of this work was to discover ways in which current collision detection libraries can be improved or supplemented to create more robust interaction between virtual objects. Using the simulation as a test bed, studies were then conducted to determine the potential usefulness of haptic feedback for analysis of assembly and disassembly operations. The following significant contributions were accomplished: (1) a simulation combining the strengths of an impulse-based simulation with a supplemental constraint maintenance scheme for modeling object interactions, (2) a toolkit of supplemental techniques to support object interactions in situations where collision detection algorithms commonly fail, (3) a haptic assembly and disassembly simulation useful for experimentation, and (4) results from a series of five experimental user studies with the focus of determining the effectiveness of haptic feedback in such a simulation. Additional contributions include knowledge of the usability and functionality of current collision detection libraries, the limitations of haptic feedback devices, and feedback from experimental subjects regarding their comfort and overall satisfaction with the simulation.

Traditional 2-D contour models, Physical Models, Computer-Aided Architectural Design (CAD), Virtual Reality models, Google SketchUp, and Building Information Modelling (BIM) have all greatly enhanced the design process by enabling designers to visualise buildings and the space within them prior to their construction. A recent development is Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG) such as Second Life (SL). These offer users the opportunity to interact with other participants in real time, and so offer an excellent opportunity to experience the environment, layout and form of virtual buildings. However, the effectiveness of such applications to some extent depends upon how realistic the interactions of those using virtual spaces are in relation to interactions within the real world. This research examines the potential of this technology for enhancing and informing the early stage building design process. Initially, the tools currently used by architects at early stages of the RIBA Plan of Work were evaluated through interviewing architects. Then, the advantages of using MMOG over current tools at early-stage design were evaluated through interviews in SL. A virtual model was developed to examine how realistic the visualisation and interaction between end-users in an MMOG was. This was used to propose and validate guidance to incorporating MMOG into the early stages of the RIBA Plan of Work. It revealed that the virtual model created, the validated guidance and a successful example combining 2D sketches, Google SketchUp and MMOG at early-stage design can be used to guide architects to manage the complex decision making process in a simple, easy, cost-effective way, while effectively engaging both professional and non-professional stakeholders.

Η αίσθηση παρουσίας όπως και η αλληλεπίδραση θεωρούνται βασικά χαρακτηριστικά των συστημάτων εικονικής πραγματικότητας. Στην παρούσα εργασία έγινε η διερεύνηση αυτής της σχέσης της αίσθησης παρουσίας και της αλληλεπίδρασης σε εκπαιδευτικά εικονικά περιβάλλοντα, μέσα από ερευνητικές εργασίες, και η καταγραφή των συμπερασμάτων που προέκυψαν από αυτές. Δηλαδή, μελετήθηκε κατά πόσο ο συμμετέχων μπορεί να αισθανθεί παρών στην εικονική πραγματικότητα μέσα από την περιπλάνηση του σε χώρους, την αντιμετώπιση φαινομένων και την αλληλεπίδραση με αντικείμενα, που στην πραγματικότητα πιθανόν να μην ήταν εφικτά, και επίσης κατά πόσο μέσω της αλληλεπίδρασης και της αίσθησης παρουσίας του δίνεται η δυνατότητα να οικοδομήσει τη γνώση. / -

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.