A smart method for developing game-based virtual laboratories

Zhou Zhang, Mingshao Zhang, Yizhe Chang, Sven K. Esche, Constantin Chassapis

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Virtual laboratories are one popular form of implementation of virtual reality. They are now widely used at various levels of education. Game-based virtual laboratories created using game engines take advantage of the resources of these game engines. While providing convenience to developers of virtual laboratories, game engines also exhibit the following shortcomings: (1) They are not realistic enough. (2) They require long design and modification periods. (3) They lack customizability and flexibility. (4) They are endowed with limited artificial intelligence. These shortcomings render gamebased virtual laboratories (and other virtual laboratories) inferior to traditional laboratories. This paper proposes a smart method for developing gamebased virtual laboratories that overcomes these shortcomings. In this method, 3D reconstruction and pattern recognition techniques are adopted. 3D reconstruction techniques are used to create a virtual environment, which includes virtual models of real objects and a virtual space. These techniques can render this virtual environment fairly realistic, can reduce the time and effort of creating the virtual environment and can increase the flexibility in the creation of the virtual environment. Furthermore, pattern recognition techniques are used to endow game-based virtual laboratories with general artificial intelligence. The scanned objects can be recognized, and certain attributes of real objects can be added automatically to their virtual models. In addition, the emphasis of the experiments can be adjusted according to the users' abilities in order to get better training results. As a prototype, an undergraduate student laboratory was developed and implemented. Finally, additional improvements in the approach for creating game-based virtual laboratories are discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEducation and Globalization
ISBN (Electronic)9780791857427
DOIs
StatePublished - 2015
EventASME 2015 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2015 - Houston, United States
Duration: 13 Nov 201519 Nov 2015

Publication series

NameASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Proceedings (IMECE)
Volume5-2015

Conference

ConferenceASME 2015 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2015
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityHouston
Period13/11/1519/11/15

Keywords

  • Artificial intelligence
  • Game-based virtual laboratories
  • Garry's Mod
  • Kinect
  • Virtual laboratories

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