Applied Simulation
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Dec 6, 2007
Today is our last day so we'll wrap up the semester. I'll collect the Cell Phone papers, then I'll have just a few final words and take a few closing comments.
Then you're done!
Topics
- None!
Homework
- None! Yer outta here!
- Get ready for the finals in your other classes.
Dec 4, 2007
Topics:
- Once more we try to see Luke present his Second Life Sim.
- I found my old Sims on a Cell Phone Paper.
Homework:
- None. We be done in Second Life! (For real this time!)
Nov 29, 2007
Topics:
Homework:
Nov 27, 2007
Yet another brief day as all we have to do is see Luke's presentation from last week.
Topics:
- Luke presents his Second Life Sim
Homework:
- None. We be done in Second Life!
Nov 20, 2007
Today is a very brief day to let you start your Thanksgiving a bit early.
Topics:
- I collect any holiday decorations that you've found to donate!
- Luke presents his Second Life Sim
Homework:
- Have a good Thanksgiving! See you in SL next week.
Nov 15, 2007
Topics
- Real Life Sims by
- Heather
- Stephen
- Cliff
- Augmented Reality
Homework
- Are you kidding? Next week is Thanksgiving Thursday!
Nov 13, 2007
I don't think it's possible for the day to get any simpler.
Topics:
- Did we have any scavenger hunt items to show off? If so, we'll look at them.
- Second Life Sim presentation by Jerilyn
Scavenger Hunt:
- Holiday decorations that you can transfer to me so I can decorate!
Nov 08, 2007
Topics:
Homework:
- None. Take a breath.
Nov 06, 2007
Topics:
- Second Life presentations from Cliff
- Open House Invitation
- Novint Falcon
- Stiff People's League
- Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds
Homework:
- Finish up the Software Sim.
- Get to class early on Thurs to get things installed, tested, and running!
Nov 01, 2007
Topics:
-
Real Life Sim Presentation by Heather
-
Discuss: Virtual Itza
-
Discuss: Virtual World, Real Life Lawyers
-
Discuss: Second Life Faces Mobile Death
-
Discuss: Real Hope in a Virtual World
Homework:
- None. Next week we see those software sim packages! Be here early and get things installed!
Oct 30, 2007
Topics:
- Today we look at the things your Halloween costumes.
- Then we have Second Life Sim tours by: Cliff
- And that's it for the day because I know you're working feverishly on your Software Simulation programming.
Homework:
- Scavenger Hunt: Robots!
Oct 25, 2007
Today we tackle the issues surrounding the second half of your "final" project. ...among other things...
- Halloween Magic Trick!
- Real Life Sims by Mike & Josh
- Gather the packets.
- One set for me to grade.
- One set for your eventual programmer.
- Subject Matter Experts
- CBT Production Teams
Homework
Oct 23, 2007
Topics:
- Today we look at the things you made with the building tools.
- Then we have Second Life Sim tours by: Ricky
- A possible location of my own...if I find something.
Homework:
- Scavenger Hunt: Halloween Costume!
Oct 18, 2007
No Class in the classroom today.
Please take this time to work on your Software Simulation Instructional Design packet. They're due next Thursday!
Oct 16, 2007
Topics:
- Show off your scavenger hunt items! Wings, I believe!
- Second Life Sim Presentations by Heather & Bobby
Homework:
- Scavenger Hunt: Make Something!
Oct 11, 2007
Topics:
- Oddware Presentations by Luke and Jesse
- Software Simulations
- Client Viewpoint
- Instructional Designer
Homework:
Oct 9, 2007
Topics:
- Show off your scavenger hunt items!
- Second Life Sim Presentations by Heather & Stephen
Homework:
- Scavenger Hunt: Wings!
Oct 4, 2007
Three Real Life Sims: Bobby, Alex, & Brian
Topics:
-
Oddware Presentations.
Homework:
- No Homework. Take a rest.
Oct 2, 2007
No SL Presentations today.
Topics:
- Meet with Circe.
Homework:
- No Homework. Oddware presentations on Thursday.
Sep 27, 2007
Two Real Life Sim presentations. Bobby & Jesse
Topic:
Homework:
- None. Oddware due next week.
Sep 25, 2007
We begin by checking out the "bling" and see what you've come up with.
Then we'll have a Second Life Sim presentation by Brian.
After that, we'll visit another couple of locations that I have found.
- The Crooked House
- Virtual Hallucinations
- Myst Online
Scavenger Hunt : A pet of some sort. We'll meet at the Beach House and show them off.
Sep 20, 2007
Real Life Simulation Presentation by: Bobby
Topics:
Homework:
Sep 18, 2007
Second Life Sim: Mike
Other places by Damian
Homework
-
Optional: Jewelry with "bling."
Sep 13, 2007
Real Life Sim: Jerilyn
Topics:
- My 4th Newspaper Interview about UB and Second Life.
- Four interesting Second Life books.
- Second Life Terrorism
- Second Life Punishment
- Reuters in Second Life
- Disaffected!
Homework
- Play Disaffected
Sep 11, 2007
Today we meet in Second Life at 11am.
Jesse will be presenting his first Second Life simulation.
Sep 6, 2007
Here are the topics we will be covering today:
- Ricky's Real Life Sim Presentation
- Non-Computer Platforms
- Computer Based Platforms
Homework
-
No Homework
-
Optional: New Avatar Hair in Second Life
Sep 4, 2007
Today we meet in Second Life at 11am.
Josh will be presenting our first Second Life simulation!
Aug 30, 2007
Today we meet in the classroom lab.
- Introduction to the Course
- Class Introductions
- Syllabus
- Class Web Site
- Class Requirements
- Other Class Notes
- Student Setup
- Assignments and Deadlines
- Questions and (hopefully) Answers
- Considering Sims
Aug 28, 2007
Today we meet in Second Life.
Regular class time: 11am.
Run Ventrilo and log in to the server.
(Get the server / port info from the blue panel.)
Log into Second Life and I'll send you a teleport
to our location.
Homework:
(Read the Class Requirements for fuller details.)
- Student Setup
- Scavenger Hunt #1
- Class Photo
APPLIED SIMULATION
COSC330.SG1
Fall 2007
-Ventrilo Information-
Server: 69.12.74.141
Port: 4143
In the past, I developed training for an electrical company. In addition to regular CBT training, they also had practice circuit boards for their employees to learn how to properly solder connections. These circuit boards, however, were fake as were the soldering guns. Both were actually specially designed peripherals that plugged into a main computer. The main computer could then "alter" the beginning configuration of the board, give an assignment to the student, and then monitor the student's actions, and issue a final grade. Pretty sophisticated, really.
But someone had to design those items and their interactions with the main computer and the monitoring software. (Fortunately, *I* didn't have to design them...but I had to learn how to monitor the interactions with the rest of the simulation I created.) If you land a job doing simulation, you may find yourself having to design hardware to supplement your software programming, or--at the very least--find yourself having to learn how the fake hardware works in order to be able to use it in your training.
Our mission this week: looking at that process, beginning (and ending) with prototypes.
Prototypes
A prototype, as you well know, is an early design for the hardware. It may be only sketch, or a faked-up representation of what the end product will look like. A prototype will try to convey as much information about the final product as possible, especially its:
- Function: What is the thing supposed to do?
- Design: How does the user get it to do what it's supposed to do?
- Usability: How easy/difficult is it for the user to understand and use the device?
Let's look at a few items and some of their initial prototypes.
MIT's "Wind-up" Laptop, the XO:
From a company that specializes in creating product prototypes:
From Wired magazine's November 2006 issue: "Five years ago, Apple engineers used foam core and old fishing weights to craft a model of a new MP3 player."
