TY - GEN
T1 - Linking computer game engines with remote experiments
AU - Aziz, El Sayed
AU - Chang, Chenghung
AU - Arango, Felipe
AU - Esche, Sven K.
AU - Chassapis, Constantin
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2007 by ASME.
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - Recently, the potential of using commercially available computer game engines to implement virtual engineering experiments (which represent pure computer simulations) has been explored by various educational institutions. Using a game engine in conjunction with a corresponding software development kit, it is possible for educators to replace the content of an existing computer game with educational content, thus creating virtual laboratory environments. The utilization of game engines for educational purposes is expected to increase the degree of immersive presence of the students engaging in such game-based laboratory exercises as well as the level of interactivity between the students. This paper will discuss the integration of a game-based virtual laboratory environment with remote experiments conducted using actual physical devices. In particular, the paper will focus on possible ways in which the data transfer between a computer game engine and an existing remote laboratory experiment can be accomplished. Strategies for the extraction of laboratory experiment data and for the conversion of data formats are discussed. Possible methods by which the laboratory experiment output data is accessed and displayed are also addressed. Some of the key questions affecting the possible process flows are if and at what point the laboratory experiment mode of interaction should switch from the game engine to the remote laboratory experiment and then switch back to the game engine, and whether or not the user should know that and when it occurred. Finally, the paper will present a sample implementation of a virtual laboratory, into which a specific remote experiment was integrated.
AB - Recently, the potential of using commercially available computer game engines to implement virtual engineering experiments (which represent pure computer simulations) has been explored by various educational institutions. Using a game engine in conjunction with a corresponding software development kit, it is possible for educators to replace the content of an existing computer game with educational content, thus creating virtual laboratory environments. The utilization of game engines for educational purposes is expected to increase the degree of immersive presence of the students engaging in such game-based laboratory exercises as well as the level of interactivity between the students. This paper will discuss the integration of a game-based virtual laboratory environment with remote experiments conducted using actual physical devices. In particular, the paper will focus on possible ways in which the data transfer between a computer game engine and an existing remote laboratory experiment can be accomplished. Strategies for the extraction of laboratory experiment data and for the conversion of data formats are discussed. Possible methods by which the laboratory experiment output data is accessed and displayed are also addressed. Some of the key questions affecting the possible process flows are if and at what point the laboratory experiment mode of interaction should switch from the game engine to the remote laboratory experiment and then switch back to the game engine, and whether or not the user should know that and when it occurred. Finally, the paper will present a sample implementation of a virtual laboratory, into which a specific remote experiment was integrated.
KW - 3ds Max
KW - Collaborative virtual environment
KW - Game engine
KW - Half-Life 2
KW - Laboratory education
KW - MaxScript
KW - Remote laboratory
KW - Source game engine
KW - Virtual experiment
KW - Virtual laboratory
KW - Virtual reality
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U2 - 10.1115/IMECE2007-41969
DO - 10.1115/IMECE2007-41969
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:44249116421
T3 - ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Proceedings (IMECE)
SP - 413
EP - 420
BT - Engineering Education and Professional Development
T2 - ASME 2007 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2007
Y2 - 11 November 2007 through 15 November 2007
ER -