Class: S2-09
(I) Plenary Sessions
(A)
1.) Importance of Water-Dirty and Clean
-Water needs to be clean so as to maintain hygiene.
-Water needs to be clean for drinking purposes.
-If water is dirty, diseases can spread very quickly, thus affecting many other people.
An example is that between 1996 and 2003 in Japan, E. coli bacteria infected more than 10,000 people and left 22 dead, according to the Japanese health ministry.
-As the human population advances, they become careless at times and forget about things like sanitation.
An example that the professor gave is that in the early past, civilisations had drains and sewage systems thus showing that they knew the importance of sanitation but as time passed, drains and sewage systems became missing, thus showing that the civilization has forgotten about such things.
Reflection
After going through this session, I now realize the importance of clean water. Water that we take for granted every single day could have been used to help the hundreds of people who need it.
2.) Revolution of Microelectronics Technology
-In early computers, vacuum tubes preformed calculations and capacitors store data.
-Bell Labs created transistors.
-IC (Integrated Circuit) was invented in 1968 at Texas Instruments and Fairchild Semiconductors.
-Electronics is scaling down
Biology is scaling up
Combination is BioNanoElectronics.
Eg:
Electronic contact lens to help the blind see,
Electronic blood to monitor the blood,
Electronic brain to communicate through brainwaves.
Why should we choose IC / Electronic Design?
-well rounded
-broad coverage
The Professor's ending words:
Unless you do electronic engineering, you will never know your limits.
Reflection
Microelectronics is important as it will take part more and more in our lives.
3.) Innovative breakthroughs in Nano-Science and Nano-technology
-Three main Techs:
-Nano-Tech
-In 1963, Metal Nano Particles were made
-Example:
-Use Polymer stent to open up blocked artery. It can be dissolved.
- When things become smaller, more heat is created
-LED is turning organic
-Bio-Tech
Examples:
-Masks
-Mini Braces
Strengths
-Spider Web
-Carbon Nano-Tubes
-Defense Tech
-A war between projectiles and armor
Reflection
I believe that Nano Technology and Nano Science will be future used in things in the near future
4.) IT for Animation
-Stop motion is mainly used for story telling
-Motion capture
-There is Mathematics in Animation
-Geometric Modeling
-Calculus (Special Effects)
-Laws of Physics
-Diffuse Lighting (Calculation)
-Specular Lighting
Reflection
Animation is important because it can be seen in our daily lives. In computer games, television shows, advertisement etc. all have some form of animation in it.
5.) Disappearing glaciers, rising sea levels, and why gravity is even more important than you think
-Main Point: Sea- level rise will not be the same everywhere.
-With space- based techniques, we can measure the earth, the size and shape, its gravity field in greater details.
-Gravity = The attraction of two masses to each other.
-It is hard to measure the glacier melting, it is only possible to measure a few.
Reflection
We need to learn more about the world that we are living in, the planet which we call home. This can only be done through geography. If we do not learn more about Earth, it is the same as not knowing what is happening in your own house.
(B) Deepest Impressions...
The plenary session that leave the deepest impression on me is the "Importance of Water - Dirty and Clean". This is because clean water is something which many of us Singaporeans take for granted however, in other poorer countries, hundreds of people are desperately searching for clean water.
(II) My Personal Reflection
I chose this project because I am interested in computer programming, especially in areas like game programming. I am still at the basics however, I am determined to learn more in depth for a programming language. I currently have ideas for good games but I lack the skill and ability to make it.
My role in the group is the programmer and gameplay idea maker. I do the programming concerning gameplay and not in atheistic. I can think of good ideas for gameplay.
Challenges that I and my team encountered was that the computer game was glitchy and not nice looking. Trying to overcome the glitches, we realize that we cannot do anything about the glitches because they originate from deep in the program, so deep that even the student facilitators did not know how to help. To overcome these challenges, we decided to focus more on the atheistic and not the gameplay. However, after this project, we will learn more in depth the programming language such that we can actually work and improve on this project even after these 3 days.
Through this project, we discover that we should not go for things that we know that were too high level for us and instead focus on things that we know especially when we have a tight time limit.
As an individual, this programme has given me more inspiration to further my studies on programming languages.
I aspire to make an entire computer game but before that, I intend to first study in depth on C and C++ programming then, I will practice and test myself on this project and make it into a actual game. Finally, I will make an entire game from scratch with the help of some friends.
