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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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16 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Using Gamification to Enhance Mastery of Network Security Concepts

Gamification has proven to be effective in engaging and encouraging people to work towards and achieve goals. Many students struggle to focus on schoolwork, due to a lack of interest, lack of understanding, or other factors unique to the student. Applying gamification elements to education can help engage these students in learning their course material and help them excel academically. This study examines the effectiveness of using gamification techniques to enhance the learning experience in college Computer Science courses. A video game application is utilized to review and reinforce cybersecurity concepts that students have already been taught in class. Previous work has been made on a prototype game build that teaches about ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) components. The focus of this study is to refine and develop the structure of the prototype into a more interactive and enjoyable format with non-competitive and captivating activities that allow students to study at their own pace. An updated version of the game was created that focused on reaching a balance between education and entertainment. The game was used by students enrolled in a cybersecurity class, where pre-survey, post-survey and a focus group interview were conducted to determine how effective the updated version is compared to the current build, in addition to how effective the gamification method is regarding student retention of taught material. The pre-survey and post-survey results revealed an increase in interest and mastery of cybersecurity concepts as a result of playing the game. Students found value in the game as both a method of reviewing material taught in class and an entertaining and engaging game. These results show potential in using gamification in cybersecurity and education.

Hilliard, Kevin↗
DOE OSTI2013

Psychosocial and Cultural Modeling in Human Computation Systems: A Gamification Approach

“Gamification”, the application of gameplay to real-world problems, enables the development of human computation systems that support decision-making through the integration of social and machine intelligence. One of gamification’s major benefits includes the creation of a problem solving environment where the influence of cognitive and cultural biases on human judgment can be curtailed through collaborative and competitive reasoning. By reducing biases on human judgment, gamification allows human computation systems to exploit human creativity relatively unhindered by human error. Operationally, gamification uses simulation to harvest human behavioral data that provide valuable insights for the solution of real-world problems.

Sanfilippo, Antonio P.↗
DOE OSTI2015

Gamification and Visualization of Sensor Data Analysis in Research Buildings

The use of video game elements in non-gaming systems, or gamification , has potential value in transforming data analysis. Our study focused on creating a web-based videogame that models two physical test buildings, each of which contains hundreds of sensors. After the application renders the models, the player can walk through the environments and interact with the virtual representations of the sensors inside. Rather than trudging through a database with textual commands and screens full of data, the user can (virtually) walk up to a sensor and view its data graphically. But these features only scratch the surface of what is possible using our new gamification approach. We anticipate being able to show that recent progress in game design techniques and capacities can contribute to the field of analysis through gamification. The net result could be more stimulating, intuitive, user-friendly interfaces, as well as potentially more informative and insightful applications.

Stone, Jackson A↗
DOE OSTI2015

MO-DE-BRA-01: Enhancing Radiation Physics Instruction Through Gamification and E-Learning

Purpose: This project sought to “gamify” the instruction of radiation interaction physics concepts for technology students. Gamification applies game mechanics and user interactions in active learning contexts. In one part of this project, a self-guided eModule was developed for conceptual radiation interaction instruction. In a second part, a web-based game, Particle Launch (http://particle-launcher.ist.unomaha.edu), was created to challenge students to quickly apply radiation interaction concepts in a way that is stimulating and motivating. Methods: The eModule, focused on conceptual interaction physics, was designed in Adobe Captivate and incorporates animation, web videos, and assessment questions in order to generate student interest. Navigating the whole module takes 40 minutes for beginners. Assessments after three main sections are comprised of 3–4 questions randomly selected from a question pool. In collaboration with the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s College of Information Science and Technology, the Particle Launch game was created with the Unity gaming engine and designed with a game-play look and feel. The object of the game is to utilize different particles, energies, and directions to destroy a target given a limited number of resources and time to complete the task. A rewards system encourages accurate shots. Results: The eModule part of the project encourages a flipped classroom model in which class time is devoted to application of concepts rather than information-based lectures. Currently, eModule assessments are not tracked but this feature could be incorporated to encourage participation. Furthermore, in a class of five technology students, the game was found to be fun and engaging and had the effect of reinforcing basic concepts from the eModule. Conclusion: Gamification has significant potential to alter medical physics instruction. Game-play feedback is an important part of the learning process. Students found Particle Launch inviting and challenging and further research could help game design. This project was generously supported by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Global lessons: a comparative analysis of nuclear gamification's impact in American and British students

The global nuclear skills shortage demands urgent educational investment, particularly for students aged 11–18. To help address this, we have introduced RAD Ratings, an interactive card game designed to improve the teaching of nuclear concepts to students, which includes subjects such as half-lives, types of radiation, and radionuclide applications. RAD Ratings has already been successfully piloted in the United Kingdom and in this paper, we present a comparison in selected American schools for the first time. Snapshot survey results show RAD Ratings improve interest in nuclear science and careers, offering insights into gamification’s potential to improve engagement across different geographic locations.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2013

Gamification for Measuring Cyber Security Situational Awareness

Cyber defense competitions arising from U.S. service academy exercises, offer a platform for collecting data that can inform research that ranges from characterizing the ideal cyber warrior to describing behaviors during certain challenging cyber defense situations. This knowledge could lead to better preparation of cyber defenders in both military and civilian settings. This paper describes how one regional competition, the PRCCDC, a participant in the national CCDC program, conducted proof of concept experimentation to collect data during the annual competition for later analysis. The intent is to create an ongoing research agenda that expands on this current work and incorporates augmented cognition and gamification methods for measuring cybersecurity situational awareness under the stress of cyber attack.

Cyber Defense Competitions, CCDC, cyber defender, ↗
DOE OSTI2011

How Gamification will change Business Intelligence

In 1958, William Higginbotham was part of the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) Instrumentation Division. In those days, BNL hosted a visitors day each fall. This was an opportunity for thousands of visitors to come and tour the lab and get a better understanding of the capabilities and operations at a nuclear research facility. William Higinbotham wanted to do something that would impress the audience as well as demonstrate the capabilities of the instrumentation division. Higinbotham came up with an idea that would allow the audience to play a simulated game of table tennis. By utilizing an analog computer and an oscilloscope, Higinbotham created the first publically available video game. The game was very simple and simulated the vertical side of a tennis court, the edge of the floor with the edge of the net perpendicular, on a screen. Each player had a button and a rotating knob. Rotating the knob would change the angle of the bar controlling the ball; pressing the button sent the ball toward the opposite side of the court. If the ball hit the net, it rebounded at an unexpected angle. If the ball went over and was not hit back, it would hit the floor and bounce again at a natural angle. If it disappeared off the screen, a reset button could be pressed, causing the ball to reappear and remain stationary until the user pressed the button to send the ball flying back across the net. Higginbotham recounted that "it was a simple design. Back then, analog computers were used to work out all kinds of mechanical problems. They didn't have the accuracy of digital computers, which were very crude at the time, but then you don't need a great deal of precision to play TV games. " The game was wildly successful and Higinbotham could tell from the crowd’s reaction that he had developed something very special. From the days of Higinbotham’s rudimentary version of the classic game Pong, video games have matured and become much more complex. Not only has the technology advanced, allowing for better graphics, sound and game play, but also significant research has been done in the area of game mechanics. “Game mechanics are rule based systems that facilitate and encourage a user to explore and learn the properties of their possibility space through the use of feedback mechanisms.” (Koster, 2004) As these game mechanics become better understood, they are being applied to areas outside of the realm of video game development. Game mechanics have become the basis for understanding the psychological drivers of users in the digital world. Business Intelligence, part of this digital experience, can learn some great lessons in how to engage users and revolutionize the user experience through the application of these game mechanics. In the tradition of BNL’s innovative spirit and as a sister laboratory in the Department of Energy laboratory complex, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) looks to determine how we can enhance the user experience through the effective application of game mechanics to Business Intelligence to meet the needs of our business.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2024

The future of self-driving laboratories: from human in the loop interactive AI to gamification

Recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), implemented through self-driving laboratories (SDLs), are rapidly creating unprecedented opportunities for the accelerated discovery and optimization of materials. This paper provides a joint analysis of SDLs from both academic and industry perspectives, highlighting the importance of integrating human intelligence in these systems. It discusses the necessity of careful planning in SDL design across physical, data, and workflow dimensions, including instrumental setup, experimental workflow, data management, and human–SDL interaction. The significance of integrating human input within SDLs, especially as the focus shifts from individual tools and tasks to the creation and management of complex workflows, is emphasized. The paper stresses on the crucial role of reward function design in developing forward-looking workflows and examines the interplay between hardware evolution, ML application across chemical processes, and the influence of reward systems in research. Ultimately, the article advocates for a future where SDLs blend human intuition in hypothesis formulation with AI's precision, speed, and data-handling capabilities.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2021

The CanBikeCO Mini Pilot: Preliminary Results and Lessons Learned

In fall 2020, the Colorado Energy Office, as part of the State of Colorado’s “Can Do Colorado” initiative, initiated a project aimed at encouraging energy-efficient transportation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial mini-pilot provided e-bikes to 13 low-income households under an individual ownership model. This report assesses the impact of providing this additional mobility option on the travel behavior of participants. It also outlines the lessons learned from deploying a continuous monitoring platform to track the travel behavior. These lessons will influence the evaluation component for the full pilot, which will cover multiple geographic regions, starting in summer 2021, and run for 2 years. The continuous data collection was enabled by a customized version of the open-source e-mission platform, called CanBikeCO, configured with a behavioral gamification feature. The Colorado Energy Office used this system to collect a unique data set consisting of 3 months of partially automated travel diaries, combining sensed and surveyed data and linked with demographic information, from 12 participants. The data collection process worked well overall: users generally liked the app, appreciated the game, and did not complain about battery life. The long tracking period introduced behavioral challenges in user engagement, which we plan to address using repeated patterns and automated status checks for the full pilot. The analysis results, based on the subset of trips with user-reported labels (68%), indicate that the e-bike was the dominant commute mode share (31%), in sharp contrast to the census bicycle commute mode share (<1%). E-bike trips primarily replaced single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips (28%), followed closely by walking (24%) and regular bike (20%). The nonmotorized mode replacement corresponds to lower travel time and increased productivity enabled by the program. The emissions impact analysis of the program, computed using trip-level energy intensity factors, indicates savings of 1,367 lbs. of CO 2 . Although the results are strongly positive, the narrow demographic profile of study participants, their limited mobility alternatives, and nonuniform labeling indicate caution in broader interpretation. These preliminary results do suggest that such programs, supported by real-time education and support from program managers, can simultaneously meet equity and sustainability goals. The planned full pilot, addressing the data collection challenges and broadening the geographic scope, will provide additional insights into the generality of this approach.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2018

The Connected Traveler

This poster describes the Connected Traveler project, the product of which is an innovative mobility app that uses behavioral levers such as incentives, convenience, and gamification to promote energy-efficient travel choices. The research team, comprised of transportation modeling and behavior experts from universities, industry, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, assessed the potential energy impacts of the app based on a range of market penetrations. Findings indicate substantial energy benefits due to changes in departure time, efficient routing, increased vehicle passenger load, and avoided trips. This project was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2021

The CanBikeCO Mini Pilot: Procedure and Preliminary Results

In fall 2020, the Colorado Energy Office, as part of the State of Colorado's "Can Do Colorado" initiative, initiated a project aimed at encouraging energy-efficient transportation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial mini-pilot provided e-bikes to 13 low-income households under an individual ownership model. This report assesses the impact of providing this additional mobility option on the travel behavior of participants. It also outlines the lessons learned from deploying a continuous monitoring platform to track the travel behavior. These lessons will influence the evaluation component for the full pilot, which will cover multiple geographic regions, start in summer 2021, and run for 2 years. The continuous data collection was enabled by a customized version of the open-source e-mission platform, called CanBikeCO, configured with a behavioral gamification feature. The Colorado Energy Office used this system to collect a unique data set consisting of 3 months of partially automated travel diaries, combining sensed and surveyed data and linked with demographic information, from 12 participants. The data collection process worked well overall: users generally liked the app, appreciated the game, and did not complain about battery life. The long tracking period introduced behavioral challenges in user engagement, which we plan to address using repeated patterns and automated status checks for the full pilot. The analysis results, based on the subset of trips with user-reported labels (68%), indicate that the e-bike was the dominant commute mode share (31%), in sharp contrast to the census bicycle commute mode share (<1%). E-bike trips primarily replaced single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips (28%), followed closely by walking (24%) and regular bike (20%). The non-motorized mode replacement corresponds to lower travel time and increased productivity enabled by the program. The emissions impact analysis of the program, computed using trip-level energy intensity factors, indicates savings of 1,367 lbs. of CO2. Although the results are strongly positive, the narrow demographic profile of study participants, their limited mobility alternatives, and nonuniform labeling indicate caution in broader interpretation. These preliminary results do suggest that such programs, supported by real-time education and support from program managers, can simultaneously meet equity and sustainability goals. The planned full pilot, addressing the data collection challenges and broadening the geographic scope, will provide additional insights into the generality of this approach.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Using simulators to assess knowledge and behavior of “novice” operators of critical infrastructure under cyberattack events

—The transition from the traditional power grid to the smart grid improves reliability, performance, and management, while simultaneously increasing its susceptibility to cyberattacks. One of the biggest weaknesses in grid security is the human agent responsible for its maintenance and operations. As such, it is crucial to embed hands-on understanding of grid operations and security, especially for students in the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) fields. This paper presents a case study where ECE students from Temple University used an interactive microgrid simulator, "Grid Game", a program developed by Idaho National Laboratory. This case study offers insights into the ECE students’ understanding of key engineering principles (microgrid stability, generation control system, generator inertia, energy storage, and grid security) gained by using the simulator program. Furthermore, the human behavior (strategies to prepare for and respond to cyberattacks, and cooperation and conflict in decision-making) of defenders/ECE students as they experience cyberattacks are also discussed. The paper then offers some limitations and possible suggestions for future research.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2017

Using a critical infrastructure game to provide realistic observation of the human in the loop by criminal justice students

Understanding human behavior is crucial in anticipating adversarial actions during cyberattacks. The Criminal Justice (CJ) discipline offers the necessary frameworks to unpack the complex facets of adversarial behavior and movement, and should therefore be leveraged for their possible contributions to the area of proactive cybersecurity. Yet the discipline remains weak at training current and future CJ workforce on these matters in a hands-on manner. This paper presents a cybersecurity training exercise where a power grid simulator is used to educate CJ students via experiential learning about concepts of cyberattacks and cybersecurity as well as exposing them to doing hands-on cybersecurity field research. The paper reports on Game use as an important opportunity to observe humans put under additional stress in operating conditions. The paper discusses what CJ students learn from multidisciplinary simulation-based exercises, the challenges and limitations they face, and how training this workforce could help contribute towards proactive cyberdefense of critical infrastructure.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗