Tech
The Computing Degree Show 2016 Preview
This year saw a brand new wave of projects from Computing’s graduating fourth years: everything from medical journals through to entertainment apps, all the way down to productivity tools. Here’s a quick rundown of all the madness: This year was big for medically-inspired projects:
takes images from PANGU (Planet and Asteroid Natural
diabetes journals, migraine diaries, and fitness trackers -
Scene Generation Utility) servers and allows you to view
health was certainly a popular topic amongst the
them on the go. PANGU was a project developed by
graduates. One of the projects, “ICVGoggles: Wearable
the Space Technology Centre and focuses on improving
Adjustable Simulations of Impaired Vision” by Babak
the aesthetic of simulated space objects and planetary
Momen uses an Oculus Rift headset paired with
surfaces, including their moons. Aleksejs’ project
OVRVision cameras which simulate the colour spectrum
incorporates this technology and brings it to an Android
of a person suffering from colour-blindness. The aim of
application through which you can explore the cosmic
the project is to help advance the current techniques
objects, either in standard or rocket-flight simulation
used in impaired colour vision simulation, and in the
mode.
future, this technology could aid our understanding of impaired colour vision as well as begin to provide some
A few other projects took the educational route: one
means of helping those who suffer from the condition.
aided teaching young people through audio-augmented reading - combining the techniques used by visual and
Moving into the realm of complex simulation: some
auditory learners to track how people learn. One student
projects focused on terrain simulation. In collaboration
then also focused on teaching university-level computer
with the Space Technology Centre (UoD), Aleksejs
architecture by simplifying the teaching methods into
Kudrins developed “PANGU Mobile Client”. The app
an interactive format, whereby the user can engage with
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Tech the content more freely and learn at their own pace.
Overall, a lot of projects worked around the theme of
Student-oriented projects were also very popular:
big data: tailoring an experience for each individual and
from entertainment in the form of a darts training
providing the best results. Generic criteria is out, and
app, through to the more serious: finding a student
artificial intelligence is in - a “one size fits all” model no
flat. Tamara Lennart’s “User-Centric Visualization and
longer works. There was evidence of this throughout
Exploration of Multi-Factor Relevant Results” project
the Degree Show, with games that learn from the way
aims to improve recommendation engines by allowing
you play, becoming more difficult depending on how
real-time user input and interaction. It focuses on
quickly you complete each level, and others which work
the user’s perspective and creates a system which
using constraint programming as a problem solving
is structured and easy to use. One instance of this
tool to generate results. An example of this included
implementation is based on a property website: the
first-person shooter three-dimensional games which
system curates information on each individual based
generate much of the game play and enemies using
on their interests, their property browsing history, etc.
artificial intelligence. Though AI isn’t all about gaming:
Then, by using specified indexes, you can monitor the
you can teach a computer to recognise and analyse
user’s preferences towards each index and show them
faces, as well as track your gaze and allow you to
properties based on this data. This behind-the-scenes
navigate a page using just your eyes.
work helps generate a visual representation of the most suitable options for the user, e.g. a map of properties
There were awhich can only be described as visually
they may be interested in which match the criteria they
stunning. Games with beautiful graphics which
prioritised, and updates in real time.
immersed you a virtual world for hours, as well as those
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which you could alter to suit your theme preference: as one graduate found out, match-three games saw people demanding a dessert theme, possibly due to the rise in popularity in games like Candy Crush Saga.
With this being a brief overview of the projects on display this year, I have merely touched on the tip of the iceberg - the Degree Show this year showcased so much talent, and such a broad spectrum of ideas. Well done to all, and congratulations to all the graduates - you’ve set the bar incredibly high!
Mila Georgieva
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