A group of
College of Computing & Informatics seniors recently
designed a virtual version of Paralympics’ goalball, a team sport specifically designed for blind athletes where players use the sound of the bell to judge
the position and movement of the ball.
The game was developed as part of their
Senior Design Project — a multi-term capstone experience
involving in-depth study and application of computing and informatics. The project is advised by Computer Science Teaching Professor
Jeff Salvage.
The team — including students TJ Heiney, Cho Gyn Min, Colton Terrace, Buzz Lakata, John Frankel, Jordan Stone, Ryan Crim, Richa Barta and Ryan Smith — is
one of four finalist teams competing in the
Senior Project Final Four competition on May 24 in Nesbitt Hall.
The Goal Ball application, coded with Unity programming language, provides a replication of the real-world game play with audio and sensory feedback
providing a fair, competitive environment and an entertaining experience for the audience.
Similarly, this video game utilizes haptic and auditory cues to help players navigate the ball’s position and control its motion.
The team recently brought their application to Overbrook School for the Blind where their students served as beta testers and provided constructive
feedback.
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