Search Results (61)

Recently, the usage of mobile phone-based games has increased due to the growing accessibility and convenience they provide. Using a descriptive-quantitative design, a disaster-based mobile application was developed in this study to enhance disaster literacy among the private senior high schools in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in Davao City, the Philippines. The developed application was provided together with survey questionnaires to 364 students randomly selected from different schools in Davao City usingF a simple random sampling method. The technology acceptance (TAM) model was used to explain how users accepted the new technology. The mobile application was designed with features in four disaster scenarios—fire, flood, volcano, and earthquake. The results revealed a high acceptance, with an average score of the perceived usefulness (PE) of 4.52, perceived ease of use (PEOU) of 4.44, and a behavioral intention (BI) of 4.12. The students accepted the application to enhance disaster risk reduction and management. Aligned with SDG 4 and SDG 11, the application can be used to equip users with the knowledge to respond to disasters and ensure community resilience. Full article

The aging population increases the need for accessible interventions for cognitive training of the elderly to preserve cognitive health. Serious games have been widely used for this purpose, with many existing applications leveraging virtual reality (VR) technology. In contrast, this study explores the potential of augmented reality (AR) for cognitive training. The literature review shows that cognitive training interventions typically employ supermarket-themed serious games that are used extensively in such interventions. MarketMind AR is a supermarket-themed serious game that was created to train memory, attention, and executive function using mobile phone sensors such as cameras, accelerometers, and gyroscopes to interact and recognize the environment. Fifteen older adults participated in a three-attempt trial and completed the System Usability Scale (SUS), the in-game Game Experience Questionnaire (iGEQ), and an adapted version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) questionnaires. Qualitative interviews and in-game data (e.g., completion times, PIN recall) were also examined. The results indicated that participants had a positive experience, confirming ease of use, immersive appeal, and perceived cognitive benefits, despite some difficulties with environment scanning and object detection. The results provide evidence that an AR supermarket game leveraging mobile sensors has the potential to be an effective cognitive training tool for older adults. Full article

In the current digital era, the Google Play Store and the App Store are major platforms for the distribution of mobile applications and games. Billions of users regularly download mobile games and provide reviews, which serve as a valuable resource for game vendors and developers, offering insights into bug reports, feature suggestions, and documentation of existing functionalities. This study showcases an innovative application of fine-tuned RoBERTa for detecting bugs in mobile phone games, highlighting advanced classification capabilities. This approach will increase player satisfaction, lead to higher ratings, and improve brand reputation for game developers, while also reducing development costs and saving time in creating high-quality games. To achieve this goal, a new bug detection dataset was created. Initially, data were sourced from four top-rated mobile games from multiple domains on the Google Play Store and the App Store, focusing on bugs, using the Google Play API and App Store API. Subsequently, the data were categorized into two classes: binary and multi-class. The Logistic Regression, Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), and pre-trained Robustly Optimized BERT Approach (RoBERTa) algorithms were used to compare the results. We explored the strength of pre-trained RoBERTa, which demonstrated its ability to capture both semantic nuances and contextual information within textual content. The results showed that pre-trained RoBERTa significantly outperformed the baseline models (Logistic Regression), achieving superior performance with a 5.49% improvement in binary classification and an 8.24% improvement in multi-class classification, resulting in cross-validation scores of 96% and 92%, respectively. Full article

Over the past few decades, communication has evolved significantly, driven by new technologies and digital connections, with the Internet and mobile phones transforming traditional communication methods. This shift has also impacted disaster risk awareness-raising, requiring messages to adapt to modern digital platforms. This article describes an effort to engage younger generations with the issue of sea level rise, critical yet often overlooked despite its significant impact on global coastal areas, through the serious digital game “Inundation”. Presented for the first time, the game offers an engaging experience where players protect territories from coastal flooding while understanding rising seas’ causes, effects, and impacts. Feedback from student beta testers highlighted the game’s effectiveness in conveying scientific concepts and increasing awareness about this pressing issue. The game’s innovative design, particularly its visual representation of sea level rise at a pace more relatable to human perception, fills a gap in environmental education by making complex topics accessible and engaging. While evaluating the impact of such tools is challenging, initial feedback suggests that “Inundation” has significant potential to foster disaster preparedness and proactive safeguarding actions. Full article

The concept of sustainability is different in industry and in nature. In the case of mobile phones, the constant replacement by new models increases waste to ecologically unbearable limits. To encourage responsible and sustainable consumption, we designed an educational game in a role-play format, called Blue Gold. The objective was to make known the use of cobalt in the production of mobile phones and the methods and people involved in its extraction. We present three characters that each participant could become during the game: a Congolese girl, a Congolese boy, or an American boy. Through socio-educational dynamics of experiential learning, 308 undergraduate students and 31 of their teachers participated in the game. We set out to investigate whether knowing the reality of child labor and violence against women happening in cobalt mines could have any impact on consumer behavior, if the effect of the game could delay the desire to purchase a mobile phone or refuse to buy a new one. The results obtained revealed the influence of the role assumed in the game and the gender of the participants. They also revealed that this online role-playing game is effective in encouraging a more sustainable consumption behavior. Full article

In recent times, growing concern has arisen regarding the utilization of technology, video games, and the emergence of internet gaming disorder (IGD), particularly among young adolescents. This worry arises from the ambiguity in distinguishing between “normal” and “problematic” video game behavior, despite efforts to establish clear criteria for defining both. The goal of this study is to outline distinct profiles of adolescent video game players and identify variables associated with their gaming practices that correlate with problematic gaming. The study utilizes a substantial sample of adolescents drawn from a representative cross-section of educational institutions in the city of Madrid, ranging in age from 12 to 16 years. In total, 1516 participants (75%) acknowledged engaging in video game activities. The research delves into characterizing prevailing profiles of video game participants within this cohort and scrutinizes the profile that aligns with issues of IGD. In summary, approximately three-quarters of young adolescents participate in video gaming, with males constituting the majority. Typically, participants immerse themselves in action genre games for over three days per week, with males exhibiting a higher frequency than their female counterparts. Elevated gaming frequency correlates with heightened IGD scores, particularly among females. Young adolescents show a preference for game consoles (males) and mobile phones (females) and often play alone at home. Specific factors such as the device used, online mode, company, and gaming location impact the IGD scores. These profiles aim to assist families and educators in recognizing potential risk behaviors and IGD concerns; however, it is crucial to emphasize the necessity for case-specific screening and evaluation before deliberating on such behaviors. Full article

Background: Mobile phones, laptops, and computers have become an indispensable part of our lives in recent years. Workers may have an incorrect posture when using a computer for a prolonged period of time. Using these products with an incorrect posture can lead to neck pain. However, there are limited data on postures in real-life situations. Methods: In this study, we used a common camera to record images of subjects carrying out three different tasks (a typing task, a gaming task, and a video-watching task) on a computer. Different artificial intelligence (AI)-based pose estimation approaches were applied to analyze the head’s yaw, pitch, and roll and coordinate information of the eyes, nose, neck, and shoulders in the images. We used machine learning models such as random forest, XGBoost, logistic regression, and ensemble learning to build a model to predict whether a subject had neck pain by analyzing their posture when using the computer. Results: After feature selection and adjustment of the predictive models, nested cross-validation was applied to evaluate the models and fine-tune the hyperparameters. Finally, the ensemble learning approach was utilized to construct a model via bagging, which achieved a performance with 87% accuracy, 92% precision, 80.3% recall, 95.5% specificity, and an AUROC of 0.878. Conclusions: We developed a predictive model for the identification of non-specific neck pain using 2D video images without the need for costly devices, advanced environment settings, or extra sensors. This method could provide an effective way for clinically evaluating poor posture during real-world computer usage scenarios. Full article

Advances in visualisation techniques provide new ways for us to explore how we introduce complex topics like remote sensing to non-specialist audiences. Taking inspiration from the popularity of augmented reality (AR) apps, a free, mobile digital AR app titled SatelliteSkill5, has been developed for both Androids and iPhones in Unity AR. SatelliteSkill5 helps users conceptualise remote sensing (RS) theory and technology by showcasing the potential of datasets such as multispectral images, SAR backscatter, drone orthophotography, and bathymetric LIDAR for tackling real-world challenges, with examples tackling many of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the focus. Leveraging tried and tested pedagogic practices such as active learning, game-based learning, and targeting cross-curricular topics, SatelliteSkill5 introduces users to many of the fundamental geospatial data themes identified by the UN as essential for meeting the SDGs, imparting users with a familiarity of concepts such as land cover, elevation, land parcels, bathymetry, and soil. The SatelliteSkill5 app was piloted in 12 Irish schools during 2021 and 2022 and with 861 students ranging from 12 to 18 years old. This research shows that both students and teachers value learning in an easy-to-use AR environment and that SDGs help users to better understand complex remote sensing theory. Full article

Background: Non-communicable chronic diseases are associated with a low-quality diet, low physical activity, and sedentary behavior. Objective: To assess how parents’ diet and physical activity habits were associated with their offsprings’ lifestyles. Study design: A cross-sectional analysis of 8–16-year-old children and adolescents (n = 2539; 51.9% girls) was carried out within the frame of the first edition of the Physical Activity, Sedentarism, Lifestyles, and Obesity in Spanish Youth study (PASOS-2019). Data on adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet), daily moderate–vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and screen time per day (television, computer, video games, and mobile phone) were collected from children and adolescents, and data on parents’ diet quality and physical activity were compiled. Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between parents’ lifestyles and those of children and adolescents. Results: High diet quality of parents was associated with higher adherence to the MedDiet of children and adolescents, as well as high consumption of fruit, vegetables, fish, nuts, and legumes. The high physical activity level of parents was associated with the low consumption of fast foods, sweets, and candies in children and adolescents. Children with high levels of physical activity were those whose parents showed better diet quality and physical activity levels. Conclusions: Parents’ high diet quality and physical activity were associated with healthy lifestyles, higher adherence to the MedDiet, and physical activity of their offspring, mainly in adolescents. Full article

The rapid increase in mobile phone usage among Gen Z online gamers has become more prevalent due to the pandemic. However, the limited processing power of mobile devices has prompted the need for alternative solutions, such as cloud gaming. As an alternative, cloud gaming could be used to lessen the expenses and have the processing power of a high-end computer. Cloud gaming allows users to stream games on various devices, including low-end devices such as smartphones and older computers. This extends the lifecycle of hardware by enabling users to access the latest games without the need for constant hardware upgrades. As a result, e-waste generation decreases, reducing the environmental impact associated with the production and disposal of gaming hardware. This study aimed to determine the acceptance of Gen Z towards cloud gaming as a potential solution in achieving sustainability in the digital gaming industry. The extended technology acceptance model (TAM) was utilized to explore the potential for cloud gaming adoption in the Philippines and the attitudes of Gen Z towards this technology. It was found out that for the average Filipino user, attitude plays the highest significant role in cloud gaming adoption. On the other hand, perceived enjoyment and perceived ease of use were found to have a significant influence on attitude, which in turn, affects the behavioral intention to use cloud gaming among Gen Z. Thus, cloud gaming presents a promising avenue for sustainability in the gaming industry, combining energy efficiency, resource optimization, reduced e-waste, and improved accessibility. Full article

Technology has become integral to children’s lives, impacting many aspects, from academic to socialization. Children of today’s generation are growing up with digital devices, such as mobile phones, iPads, computers, video games, and smart gadgets; therefore, screen time has become ubiquitous in children’s daily routines. This paper provides a review of screen time usage and its impact in children across multiple developmental domains: cognitive, language, physical, and socio-emotional domain of children under eight years of age. The cognitive domain considers factors such as attention span and memory; language domain examines vocabulary, speech, and language development; physical domain focuses on motor development, exercise, sleep, and diet; and social-emotional domain considers relationships, self-identity, and emotional behaviors/regulation. Our findings are mixed, as there are both benefits and drawbacks in technology use, but screen time in children requires controlled observation and monitoring for sustainable improved progress across developmental domains. Specific recommendations advise that children’s screen time per day should be limited to zero minutes (min) (0–2 years), <60 min (3–5-years), and 60 min (6–8 years). Full article

Contemporary software applications have shifted focus from 2D representations to 3D. Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) are two technologies that have captured the industry’s interest as they show great potential in many areas. This paper proposes a system that allows developers to create applications in AR and VR with a simple visual process, while also enabling all the powerful features provided by the Unity 3D game engine. The current system comprises two tools, one for the interaction and one for the behavioral configuration of 3D objects within the environment. Participants from different disciplines with a software-engineering background were asked to participate in the evaluation of the system. They were called to complete two tasks using their mobile phones and then answer a usability questionnaire to reflect on their experience using the system. The results (a) showed that the system is easy to use but still lacks some features, (b) provided insights on what educators seek from digital tools to assist them in the classroom, and (c) that educators often request a more whimsical UI as they want to use the system together with the learners. Full article

Distributed computing, computer networking, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are all around us, yet only computer science and engineering majors learn the technologies that enable our modern lives. This paper introduces PhoneIoT, a mobile app that makes it possible to teach some of the basic concepts of distributed computation and networked sensing to novices. PhoneIoT turns mobile phones and tablets into IoT devices and makes it possible to create highly engaging projects through NetsBlox, an open-source block-based programming environment focused on teaching distributed computing at the high school level. PhoneIoT lets NetsBlox programs—running in the browser on the student’s computer—access available sensors. Since phones have touchscreens, PhoneIoT also allows building a Graphical User Interface (GUI) remotely from NetsBlox, which can be set to trigger custom code written by the student via NetsBlox’s message system. This approach enables students to create quite advanced distributed projects, such as turning their phone into a game controller or tracking their exercise on top of an interactive Google Maps background with just a few blocks of code. Full article

Map design and usability issues are crucial when considering different device orientations. It is visible, especially in exploring the topographical space in landscape or portrait orientation on the mobile phone. In this study, we aim to reveal the main differences and similarities among participants’ performance in a map-based task. The study presents an original research scheme, including establishing conceptual assumptions, developing map applications with gaming elements, user testing, and visualizing results. It appears that the different phone orientation triggers different visual strategy. This transfers into decision-making about the path selection. It turned out that in landscape orientation, participants preferred paths oriented east–west. On the other hand, portrait orientation supported north–south path selection. However, considering the given task accomplishment, both mobile phones’ orientations are adequate for the exploration of topographical space. Full article

Background: This study investigated the effect of different components of screen time (mobile phone use, TV/video viewing, and video gaming) on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) development in children aged 9–12 years. Methods: This was a two-year longitudinal study conducted with 175 children (49.7% girls, mean age = 9.5) in Japan. CRF was assessed using a 20 m shuttle run test conducted at baseline and again at follow-up. Children were categorized as “Good” or “Poor” based on the change in CRF scores for each gender. Screen time was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire at baseline and termed as “high” if children reported ≥ 2 h/day. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed after adjusting for gender, physical activity, and time of data collection. Results: Children scoring “high” on mobile phone use had lower odds of being categorized as “Good” in CRF change (crude odds ratio (OR): 0.34; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.15–0.90 (adjusted OR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.12–0.91)). There were no significant effects of TV/video viewing (crude OR: 1.54; 95% CI: 0.84–2.81) and video gaming (crude OR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.48–1.97) on changes in CRF. Conclusions: Limiting excessive mobile phone usage might be important for ensuring healthy development of CRF in children. Full article