Nightmare Runner: A Personalized Avatar and Physical Activity Game

In this thesis, a novel method to calculate energy expenditure of subjects using the Microsoft Kinect is presented. There are two main types of methods used in calorimetry, direct and indirect. Direct calorimetry involves the measurement of actual heat transfer of the subject, which is infeasible in most situations. Indirect calorimetry, however, involves measuring secondary variables, like oxygen consumption, and using those measurements to calculate energy expenditure. The method presented is an indirect calorimetry method that uses basic physics laws of work and energy to calculate the energy expenditure of a body by continuously tracking the body through the Microsoft Kinect. A process of 3D scanning a person in order to use them as avatars in a game was developed and the feasibility and benefits of using such personalized avatars in game was tested. Lastly, a physical activity game that serves as a wrapper for both the proposed energy expenditure method, and the personalized avatar was developed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Computer Science

Grantor

University of Houston

Year dc:date.issued

2016

Author dc:creator

• Rajendran, Madhur 1990-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Deng, Zhigang

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Shi, Weidong
• O'Connor, Daniel P.

• Calorie
• Games
• Computation

Statement dc:rights

• The author of this work is the copyright owner. UH Libraries and the Texas Digital Library have their permission to store and provide access to this work. Further transmission, reproduction, or presentation of this work is prohibited except with permission of the author(s).

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10657/3244

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uh-ir.tdl.org:10657/3244