"The Computing Degree Show Preview" as seen in The Magdalen

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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