Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 4.3
LEY interface
score; and two multi-player modes, the combats and tournaments. The combat mode
allows users to enter into a one-on-one competition, while tournaments provide
competition for more than two users.
The user's challenge is always to bring his house to the best consumption level and
to obtain the best possible score over time. The total score is calculated according
to the real energy consumption values and the competitions' results. The avatar
mood is green if the consumption is below the usual mean value of the current
period (yellow and red are obvious alternatives) (Fig.
4.3
). A notification service
is executed if abnormal consumption values appear or when the user should be
notified in competition situations. In combat mode, a user can challenge another
user. An environmental sustainability-based quiz will be launched to each one of
the “fighters”, which will receive points according to the result. The tournament
competition can be organized by a player that invites others to participate for a
pre-defined period of time.
At the end of each month, persuasive information related with the energy con-
sumption results is shown to the users. Another important functionality is the avatar
interaction with the player, showing its satisfaction level about the player's real-time
consumption actions. It presents the quizzes, shows negative results and appears
in wakening-up functions when occur, for instance, the aforementioned abnormal
energy consumption values.
LEY consists of three main components: the sensor platform, the supporting web-
based information system and the mobile game app (Madeira et al.
2011
). For the
sensor platform, we use the Current Cost EnviR wireless home real-time energy
monitor, but others can be used. We use the Pachube web services platform (now
Cosm (
2013
)) to make sensors' data available, in real-time, for the mobile game. The
game server and information system (IS) are implemented in MySQL, PHP and Java
technologies, based on the Spring MVC platform.
