Document Type

Thesis - University Access Only

Award Date

2012

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

First Advisor

Manki Min

Abstract

Gamification is the use of game technique to create a game from something that is not a game. For the past several years there have been many academic researches that use game as an inter-medium between game players and academic researchers. In this paper we present our project of developing a new environment for algorithm research using gamification. With this project, we aimed to develop an environment that obtains users' input on optimal solution of minimum power broadcast tree problem in ad hoc wireless networks [34] using gamification. We developed an iOS application, Setsuden, downloadable on App Store [4]. Setsuden simulates minimum power broadcast (MPB) tree in ad hoc wireless network problem by generating a random problem. Users will compete against a solution for the mapping problem, which is generated using DCT [34], which is a heuristic algorithm for MPB problem. Users can submit their input to our webserver via the mobile application. W ebserver has roles to store information from users and to share the information by hosting website. Our work is to develop a new research environment, which is specifically configured for MPB problem, and the environment can also be adapted to other research topics. We will discuss the idea of appropriate domain of problems that our approach can be applied in chapter 2. Our approach could be more effective in appropriate domain. There are common characteristics of problems that are suitable to study using this approach. We present those characteristics as well as steps to take to apply the approach to the problem in the domain. Despite the fact we want the representation of the problem to be as close to a problem in real life as possible, the game has to be entertaining. Otherwise we may not be able to attract users and hence getting inputs from users might become difficult. We introduce prior research projects that have been done using games as a part of their approach to clarify similarity and difference between our work to other research in chapter 3. In chapter 4, Our work, we will introduce our project in detail. We elaborate not only gamification, but also social networking features along with it. We aimed to design a scheme that the application and its distributed information are as easy to access as possible. To accomplish it we tried to take the advantages of social networking features provided by Facebook and Apple. In chapter 5 we analyzed input we received from general users. Based on the analysis we made some suggestions for those who want to use similar approach to ours.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Games -- Scientific applications 
Games -- Design 
Application software -- Development 
Algorithm

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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Rights Statement

In Copyright