| James Kon |
UP TO 22 final year projects on creative computing were on display at Universiti Teknologi Brunei’s (UTB) Creative Computing Final Year Projects 2018 Exhibition Day held at the university’s campus yesterday. The exhibition is the second staged by the university, with the first being held last year.
The projects, based on areas in creative computing ranging from virtual reality, game technology, artificial intelligence, 3D modelling and animation, were developed by the second cohort of students from the Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Creative Multimedia and Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Digital Media programmes under the university’s School of Computing and Informatics as part of requirements for graduation.
Both courses were introduced in 2013 to meet the demand of the creative industry for highly capable, multi-skilled graduates possessing fundamental knowledge in digital media and creative multimedia technology.
All projects were developed individually under the supervision of an academic staff.
One of the exhibits is a project by Awangku Mohammad Salihin bin Pengiran Haji Abdul Rahim, a final year student in the Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Computing programme. He created a mobile app for cyclists called ‘CH of cyclictshub’ which aims to enhance safety for cyclists by making it easier for them to join cycling teams which suit their cycling abilities.
According to Awangku Mohammad Salihin, it took him a year to develop the prototype for the app, which is yet to be launched to the public.
“Based on my findings, in order to promote safety in cycling, we need to instil (safety) knowledge in at least one cyclist, and he or she can then help spread this safety awareness to other cyclists,” he said.
He highlighted that one of his main concerns is that beginner cyclists are joining groups of advanced cyclists who are usually faster riders, and this causes safety issues as the novice riders are usually slower and are unable to catch up with the rest of the group.
A special feature in his app is the Daily Ride Event function, which returns a list of suitable cycling groups for beginner cyclists to choose from according to their abilities.
“I have been a cyclist since 2012, and I nearly got into a serious accident when a truck almost struck me while cycling alone. From 151 cyclists who responded to a survey, 30 per cent of the respondents have been involved in accident. This is why I want to increase safety for cyclists,” he said.
Awangku Mohammad Salihin, who said he is in discussions with a member of the Brunei Darussalam Cycling Federation to support his project, added that he hopes to add on to the app features such as a competition calendar and a function for users to register for cycling competitions.
Rabi binti Amran, a final year Bachelor Science (Hons) in Creative Multimedia student, is showcasing her Brunei Virtual Museum programme, a prototype 3D game app for Android.
Speaking about the app in an interview, she said, “The game is based on the concept of preserving Brunei’s traditional culture. Many people have tried the game and I received good feedback on it. A lot of them have told me they would like to see more of the project in the future.”
When asked where the idea for her game came from, she replied, “I have a personal interest in Brunei’s traditions and culture. I also have an interest in creating games, so I combined them. I hope to work with the Brunei Museum to further build on the content of the game in the future.”
The game is suitable for play on Android laptops and phones. It features quizzes that players must solve, and a wood plank must be collected to repair the bridge before players can reach the next stage. Also built into the app are wooden exhibition houses containing traditional Brunei games and songs.
Another student displaying her work is Shiqah Natasya binti Mohd Hadi.
She created Self Trackam, an Android-based selfie application built with face detection and camera tracking system functions. The app incorporates the use of a pan-and-tilt smartphone camera mounted on two servos, giving the camera the ability to rotate autonomously when taking pictures.
On the app’s conception, Shiqah Natasya said, “I came up with the idea because I see that there is an increasing number of people who are taking selfies using their mobile phones. This device can help users take pictures with bigger groups of people. It took me six months to complete the project.”
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