MotionX Dice Game

As a follow-up to my post on Accelerometers and PDAs, I really have to put up this cool application by MotionX that uses motions sensors (eg. accelerometers). This simple game showcases the possibility of replication real world physical environments with-in a virtual one. Imagine playing popular Maths games such as 'Maths Warriors' off your mobile phone, and linking up via Wireless@SG with a couple of classmates for online challenges.

Where oh where am I?

In response to Eva's post, Where oh where is COTF?, I am sharing with you a new tool, and one to learn more about your world.

Launched in 2007, Street View is a feature of Google Maps that provides a 360° panoramic street-level view of certain cities in the world. Most of the cities available are in the United States, France, Italy, Australia and Japan. (Hopefully Singapore will be covered soon)

What's really cool is that you can use a view port to literaly 'walk' or rather 'drive' along streets that has been captured. Using the mouse, you can pan and tilt the view port to 'look' at the different features along the street. I am quite surprised to see the amount of streets that was covered in each city, it's pretty comprehensive.

I've always been a travel bug (a really really small bug that is, don't have the time and money to visit all the places I've wanted), but how about travelling to many cities in one hour? All in the comfort of your chair? Of course nothing beats being there, but I will settle for second best now.

Such tools are great to arouse the curiosity of children, and to allow them to roam in a virtual environment to learn more about a particular place. Imagine merging 2nd Life and this technology to allow virutal communication

I've always wanted to visit Tokyo's Odaiba district and take a look at the Tokyo Ferris Wheel in Japan. Here is the poor man's version of travelling there:

I did a quick search on 'Tokyo Odaiba' and quickly learnt that 'Daiba' means 'fort', and also noted many interesting sites such as the 'Rainbow Bridge' around this area.


The Statue of Liberty replica with the Rainbow Bridge behind it.


Where is this statue located? Let's get back to looking for the ferris wheel.


I did the same search in Google Maps and noticed that some one has already placed a marker there.


Let's zoom in, oh look, here it is.


Ok, found it, but the view from this street is blocked by the highway. Let me move to another street.


Here it is! Finally! I'm going to take this chance to walk around and look for the other point of interests as well.

bubbl.us : Collaborative Online Mindmaps

This is a tool that I usually introduces in the Classroom of the Future. Tools such as this just opens a variety of possibilities in collaborative learning online. As the technology advances and allows better bandwidth access to the cloud, learning could take place in an even more interactive and collaborative manner.

bubbl.us is free for use (please read their terms and conditions) but more importantly, enables you to share and collaboratively create ideas and knowledge. Mindmaps could be shared with groups of team mates, and each are able to contribute to the same map. The maps could then be published on blogs (such as the example here) and this poses a powerful idea on content and knowledge syndication. Using the web not just for content sharing, but applications sharing as well.

Digital natives are already well versed in this technology, peppering their personal blog sites with a variety of widgets and gadgets to add-on new features. But using this 'plug-in' methodology will also means learning could leverage on different tools available (polls, picture gallery, interactive maps, collaborative mindmaps), but presented in a single document (blog).

Accelerometers and PDAs

Tilt Sensors

If you think that the accelerometers that comes with the latest PDAs are cool and high tech, think again. Accelerometers and tilt-sensors has been around for a while (think Nintendoo Wii). However, accelerometers are finding themselves in many consumer electronic products nowadays.

An accelerometer measures acceleration and gravity induced reaction forces, while a tilt sensor usually deploys an encapsulated fluid to measure, well, tilt.

The earlier orientation sensing technology was first used in aircrafts. Gryoscopes was installed to allow pilots to know their orientation (so that they are not flying upside down) in zero visibility conditions.

Patented by Gyration, miniature gyroscopes was then introduced into the humble computer mouse. This allows the mouse to be used in mid air (usually wireless) and interact with the PC. And these, for obvious reasons, are called gyromouses.

According to an internet article, Samsung may be the first to introduce accelerometers into mobile phones back in 2005. But the technology used is slightly different from gyroscopes. The accelerometer was used, which provides tri-axis (X, Y and Z axis) sensing. This technology was also announced by Nintendo in the same year as they released the Wii Remote (or 'Wiimote'), and thus introduced orientation sensing into the world of gaming.

Either the accelerometer or tilt sensor are commonly used nowadays in laptops and tablets such as the Fujitsu T4020 Table PC as a shock sensor to protect the harddisk. And not to forget the latest cameras (Canon Powershot SD750) to provide automated screen orientation rotation. (Perhaps I should install a tilt sensor to my coffee cup to minimize spilling... )

Here is a video of a simple game on an accelerometer enabled PDA.


HTC Diamond's Teeter Game


Due to the accelerometer's ability to detech and emulate physical motion, this technology may be useful in encouraging students to explore physics related topics through interaction and games. Here's an article from Physorg.com showing how the Nintendo Wii was rigged to teach stuents mechanics.

NeuroSky - Control Input via Brainwaves

I have been following this company for a while. They seems to be the few (or only) commercial companies that is taking alternative computer input into our everyday lifestyles. What better than to introduce this to gaming? This concept is not entirely new, Dr Guan Cuntai from Singapore's Institute for Infocomm Research has much experience in this arena since I first met him in 2004. What excites me is seeing futuristic technologies made available to the general public.

Using alternative inputs provides an assistive technology that allows children with physical challenges to extend learning. This will encourage them to be independent learners, enabling them to access online content and multimedia libraries, interact with people using the power of the thought.

May the force be with you.

Ink Squared Express (BackPack.NET Version)

BackPack.NET has released (with the good folks over at EyePower Games) a lite version of the on-screen annotation software, Ink Squared Express (by EyePower Games). This little tool allows anyone with a Tablet PC (or a desktop, if you are very very good with drawing using a mouse) to annotate on any content. Well strictly speaking, it creates a virtual canvas on top of any content, and inks on it. The cool thing about this is that you can play a video in the background, and ink while the video is still playing!

It's free for all educators in Singapore. Please download here, and install.

For those of you on the look out for cool, innovative educational usages with webcams, head over to EyePower Games to check out their wares.

Building Schools for the Future (UK)

Video: BSF Showcase Trailer

I had the pleasure of meeting Christopher Poole from Microsoft UK recently. He shared with me the exciting events that is happening in the UK that is enabling students to learn in a 'learner-led, technology-enabled' environment. You can find out more about the BSF project on their website, and learn more about some powerful ideas on re-thinking just what defines a 'school'.

What I am also keen to learn is the design of the interfaces proposed for this project.

For those of you with a bit more time on your hand, here's the full video focusing on the interfaces.


Video: Microsoft UK's Building Schools for the Future Showcase

Microsoft Surface at Sheraton (NY) Hotel & Resorts

Video: Microsoft Surface at Sheraton Hotel & Resorts

My oh my, the reality of commercially available interactive tables is pushing nearer. In a recent news article, MS Surface will be made available in the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers. In this news article, it says that 'Sheraton will begin rolling out Surface in key hotels within the United States by the end of the year. '. Gosh, when is this coming to Singapore?

A carefully designed interface on the Surface will allow students to hold discussion in an interactive manner where they can pull and more importantly, manipulate learning objects right off the table surface. Connected to the internet, such interactions can be extended to include collaborations by expertise and peers worldwide.

More information (and lots more video) about the Microsoft Surface at their official website.