The Maltaverians - LIL HINN MINN RABTIET VIRTWALI TAL-GĦAĠEB

The Maltaverians

BEYOND AMAZING VIRTUAL BONDS

EP 3

LIL HINN MINN RABTIET VIRTWALI TAL-GĦAĠEB EP 3

LIL HINN MINN RABTIET VIRTWALI TAL-GĦAĠEB The Maltaverians

Episodju 3

BEYOND AMAZING VIRTUAL BONDS Episode 3

maltaverians.mt This publication is provided free of charge and is not for sale.

Email: info@mdia.gov.mt Telephone: +356 2182 8800 Particular attention has been given to ensure that all the content of this comic is correct and up to date as on date of issue. While every care has been taken during production, the publisher does not accept any liability for errors that may have occurred.

Maħluq minn Robert Caruana (artist) u Martin G. Debattista (awtur)

Contact Information MDIA Twenty20 Business Centre, Triq l-Intornjatur, Zone 3, Central Business District, Birkirkara, CBD 3050 Malta

Episodju 3 LIL HINN MINN RABTIET VIRTWALI TAL-GĦAĠEB

This publication is intended for an audience aged 11 years and higher.

Copyright © 2024 Robert Caruana and Martin G. Debattista ISBN PDF (digital) 978-9918-0-0860-5

Pubblikatur Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA) f’kollaborazzjoni ma’ Tech.mt u eSkills Malta Foundation

All Rights Reserved

Qari tal-provi Christopher Giordano

The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious.

No identification with actual persons (living or deceased) is intended or should be inferred.

Editur Trevor Sammut

ISBN printed 978-9918-0-0859-9 Printed in Malta (EU) Print It Ltd

Stampat Malta (UE) Print It Ltd ISBN stampat 978-9918-0-0859-9

L-istorja u l-ismijiet, il-karattri u l-inċidenti kollha li jidhru f’din il-pubblikazzjoni huma fittizji.

Kwalunkwe xebh ma’ persuni veri (ħajjin jew mejtin) mhuwiex intenzjonat u huwa biss kumbinazzjoni.

Editor Trevor Sammut

Kull dritt miżmum

Proofreading Christopher Giordano

Copyright © 2023 Robert Caruana u Martin G. Debattista

Publisher Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA) in collaboration with Tech.mt and eSkills Malta Foundation

ISBN PDF (diġitali) 978-9918-0-0860-5

Din il-pubblikazzjoni hija intenzjonata għal udjenza minn 11-il sena ’l fuq.

Email: info@mdia.gov.mt Telefown: +356 2182 8800 Din il-pubblikazzjoni qed titqassam b’xejn u mhijiex għall-bejgħ.

maltaverians.mt

Episode 3 BEYOND AMAZING VIRTUAL BONDS

Kuntatt MDIA Twenty20 Business Centre, Triq l-Intornjatur, Zona 3, Central Business District, Birkirkara, CBD 3050 Malta

Created by Robert Caruana (artist) and Martin G. Debattista (writer)

Ingħatat kull attenzjoni possibbli biex ikun assigurat li l-kontenut kollu ta’ dan il-komik ikun korrett u aġġornat sad-data tal-pubblikazzjoni. Il-produzzjoni saret b’reqqa kbira u l-pubblikatur ma jassumi l-ebda responsabbiltà għal kwalunkwe żbalji li setgħu ttieħdu.

Il-proġett tal-pubblikazzjoni ta’ serje ta’ komiks bit-tema tat-teknoloġija tal-innovazzjoni diġitali għandu l-għan li jenfasizza l-importanza li nespandu l-għarfien tal-adolexxenti f’dan ilqasam li qed jevolvi ta’ kuljum. Dawn il-komiks huma maħsuba li jitqassmu lill-istudenti li jistudjaw il-Computing u l-IT, biex jissaħħaħ l-għarfien tagħhom tat-teknoloġija l-iktar riċenti u jservuhom ukoll ta’ gwida fil-karrieri futuri tagħhom. Din l-istorja hija disponibbli wkoll online b’format diġitali. Permezz tal-viżwal interattiv u l-istejjer infushom il-komiks għandhom iqanqlu l-interess tal-qarrejja żgħażagħ u jgħinuhom jifhmu aħjar il-mezzi teknoloġiċi innovattivi li qed ifasslu d-dinja tal-lum. Barra minn hekk, ilglossarju inkluż fil-pubblikazzjoni għandu jiċċara t-termini u l-kunċetti tat-teknoloġija, sabiex ilmaterjal ikun iktar aċċessibbli u informattiv.

Isimha veru: Elisa Bonello

Ismu veru: Jake Spiteri

Kwalitajiet fil-karattru: Pożittiva, empatika, enerġetika

Kwalitajiet fil-karattru: Intelliġenti, passjonali, leali

Kwalitajiet fil-personalità: Fuq tagħha, minn tagħna

Kwalitajiet fil-personalità: Mistħi, riservat

Il-laqam fid-dinja virtwali: Bella Bit It-tifsira tal-laqam: Sabiħa + l-iżgħar qies ta’ data

It-tifsira tal-laqam: Jake + moħħ intelliġenti + żgħir imma ħeġġuż

In-nazzjonalità: Maltija

In-nazzjonalità: Maltija

L-età: 24

L-età: 23½

Ix-xogħol: Għalliema tal-Computer Studies fi skola sekondarja

Ix-xogħol: IT manager f’lukanda lokali

L-ikbar alleati: Jake Spark (ħabib), il-pulizija, ċittadini responsabbli L-ikbar għedewwa: kriminali tal-kompjuter (speċjalment il-bullies u l-ħallelin)

Ħiliet speċjali: Il-vista diġitali - tara kif jaħdmu minn ġewwa t-teknoloġiji diġitali, bħall-ebda uman ieħor Qawwiet speċjali: Vjaġġatriċi prima fir-realtà virtwali, moħħha hemm bħal Sherlock Holmes, ħiliet virtwali fl-arti marzjali, akkanita ħafna għallogħob tal-kompjuter

Il-laqam fid-dinja virtwali: Jake Spark

L-ikbar alleati: Bella Bit, il-pulizija, ċittadini responsabbli, apparat sikur tal-kompjuter L-ikbar għedewwa: Phishers, hackers, spammers eċċ. Ħiliet speċjali: Jikkomunika mat-teknoloġija – b’xi mod jidher li teknoloġija li m’għandhiex ħajja tifhem x’għandu bżonn u xi jrid Qawwiet speċjali: Xejn (bħalissa) Qawwiet oħra: Jipprogramma s-software bl-ikbar faċilità

Qawwiet oħra: Kapaċi tgħallem lit-tfal b’mod li jieħdu gost Ismu veru: Klein Artificial Intelligence (KAI) Tip ta’ Intelliġenza Artifiċjali: Large Language Model (LLM) Data tat-tnedija: 1 ta’ Ġunju 2023 Sid/programmatur: Klein Hotel – Jake Spiteri Hosting: Malta Aċċess: Limitat għal Bella Bit, Jake Spark u Klein Hotel. Iħobb jieħu l-forma ta’ kelb.

Ismu veru: Il-Professur Borgon Phase Xogħlu: Kulma nafu hu li huwa xjentist brillanti minn Malta. Ħiliet speċjali: Il-moħħ wara proġetti teknoloġiċi kbar, inkluża l-munita diġitali Phasecoin. Ħadd ma jaf wisq dwaru.

GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS TERM

DEFINITION

3D Engine

Software that creates, manages and simulates three-dimensional environments, allowing for the development of video games and 3D modelling.

Access Points

Devices that allow wireless devices to connect to a network using Wi-Fi.

Active Cooling

Active cooling uses devices like fans or pumps to ‘actively’ reduce the temperature of electronic components, preventing them from overheating.

Alpha Version

An alpha version is an early version of a software program that is still being tested and developed; sometimes released for testing purposes.

Avatar

An avatar is a digital character or image that represents a user in a virtual environment or online.

Bots

Bots, or robots, are automated programs that perform tasks on the internet, like chatting with users or collecting data.

Cables

Wires that carry data from one place to another through the use of modulated electrical signals. Cables can carry both analogue and digital signals/data or electricity from one location to another.

Capacitors

Electronic components that store and release electrical energy in a circuit.

Controllers

Controllers are devices used to operate and interact with video games or other electronic systems. In VR they can include sensors that track your hand movement.

Crypto Wallet

A crypto wallet is a digital tool that stores and manages cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin or Ethereum, and allows users to send and receive these digital assets.

Crystal Oscillator

A crystal oscillator is a device that uses a crystal to create precise electrical timing, often used in clocks, radios and computers.

Debugging

Debugging is the process of finding and fixing errors or bugs in computer software.

Devs

Devs is short for developers, the people who create software, applications or games.

Eduverse, ClassVR or FrameVR

These are virtual reality platforms designed for educational purposes, allowing students to learn in immersive, interactive environments.

Ethereum

A type of cryptocurrency and a decentralised platform that allows developers to build and deploy smart contracts and decentralised applications (dApps) using Blockchain technology. It enables the creation of a wide range of applications without relying on a central authority.

Filters

Hardware or software components that remove unwanted parts from a signal or a data set. They can be used in various contexts, such as filtering out noise from audio signals, removing spam from emails or extracting relevant data from a large dataset.

Firewalls

Firewalls are security systems that monitor and control incoming/outgoing network traffic, protecting computers from unauthorised access.

Game Assets

Game assets are the components used to create video games, including characters, environments, sounds and graphics.

Gemini

A generative AI system developed by Google, designed to create content, answer questions and perform various tasks by generating human-like text based on the input it receives.

Google Cardboard

A simple, low-cost virtual reality headset made from cardboard, designed to work with smartphones.

Hand Controllers

Devices held in the hands to interact with video games or virtual reality environments.

Haptic Suit

Wearable device that provides tactile feedback, allowing users to feel physical sensations in virtual reality.

Head Tracking

A technology that follows the movement of a user’s head to provide a more immersive experience in virtual reality.

Head-Mounted Display (HMD)

A device worn on the head, like goggles, that displays virtual reality content directly in front of the user’s eyes; sometimes referred to as ‘headset’.

Headset

In VR, a headset is a device worn on the head that displays VR content. The technical term is ‘head-mounted display’.

Headset Straps

The bands or straps that hold a headset securely on a user’s head.

Heatsink

A device that absorbs and disperses heat away from a heat source (such as an electronic component) to keep them cool.

IC Chip

An IC chip, or integrated circuit chip, is a small electronic component that contains many tiny circuits and is used in most electronic devices.

iGaming

iGaming refers to online gaming or gambling activities conducted over the internet.

Several iGaming companies are based in Malta.

LANs

LANs, or local area networks, are networks that connect computers within a small area, like a home, school or office.

Main Processor

The main processor, or central processing unit (CPU), is the part of a computer that performs most of the processing inside a computer.

Motion Sensing

Motion sensing is a technology that detects and responds to movement, often used in gaming and security systems.

My Nice Neighbours

A fictitious VR game which is played by the Maltaverians.

Network Engineer

A professional who designs, implements and manages computer networks. This includes tasks such as configuring network hardware, optimising network performance, ensuring network security and troubleshooting issues to maintain efficient and reliable communication systems.

PhaseCoin

A fictitious type of cryptocurrency created by Professor Borgon Phase, a character in The Maltaverians.

Plugins

Plugins are software add-ons that enhance the functionality of a program or website.

GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS Ports

Ports can be physical connection points on a computer or network device where cables or other devices can be plugged in. They can also be software-controlled ports used in routers or software-controlled network devices.

Processor

A processor is the part of a computer that performs calculations and runs programs. See ‘Main Processor’.

Professor Borgon Phase

A fictitious character in The Maltaverians. He is a brilliant Maltese scientist who seems to have dark plans for world domination, but nobody is sure what his next scheme is.

Routers

Routers are devices that direct data between different networks, such as between your home network and the internet.

Sandboxed

Sandboxed means running a program or code in a controlled environment where it cannot affect other parts of the system, often used for security or testing purposes.

Sentient AI

Sentient AI refers to artificial intelligence that has human-like awareness and the ability to experience feelings.

Sockets

Sockets are points where cables or devices can be connected to a computer or network.

Streaming TV

Watching television shows and movies over the internet in real-time without downloading the content first. This is done via Internet Protocol (IP) and allows viewers to access a wide range of content on demand.

Subnetting

Subnetting is dividing a larger network into smaller, more manageable subnetworks, improving efficiency and security.

Tokens

Tokens are digital assets or units of value issued on a blockchain, often used in cryptocurrency and virtual economies.

UI

UI, or user interface, is the part of a software or device that users interact with, like buttons, menus and screens.

Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine is a powerful software used to create video games and other 3D content, developed by Epic Games.

Utopia

Utopia is an ideal or perfect place where everything is just right, often used to describe an imagined society with perfect living conditions.

Virtual Game Assets

Virtual game assets are items within a video game that players can use, such as characters, weapons and skins.

VirtuaVerse

A fictitious virtual environment, where users can interact in a digital world, featured in The Maltaverians.

VLans

VLANs, or virtual local area networks, are networks that group devices together logically rather than physically, improving security and efficiency.

VR

VR, or virtual reality, is a technology that creates a simulated environment, allowing users to interact with a 3D world through devices like headsets.

VR Gloves

VR gloves are wearable devices that track hand movements and provide tactile feedback in virtual reality environments [see also: haptic suit].

XR Interaction Toolkit

XR Interaction Toolkit is a set of tools for developers to create and manage interactions in virtual, augmented and mixed reality applications.