December 7, 2016

Purdue TECHFIT event shows students' tech-based exergames

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Polytechnic Institute professors are motivating students to use their minds and creativity to create technology-based fitness game at Purdue University's annual TECHFIT event.

Purdue professors Brad and Alka Harriger, in collaboration with faculty from the College of Charleston, South Carolina, are coordinating the third annual TECHFIT 2016 Showcase beginning at 9:45 a.m. Thursday (Dec. 8) in the Córdova Recreational Sports Center.

TECHFIT (Teaching Engineering Concepts to Harness Future Innovators and Technologists) is designed to use kids' interest in video games and problem-solving to inspire them to gain STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills needed to invent technology-based fitness games that battle childhood obesity. The National Science Foundation funds the project.

Alka Harriger, a professor in the Department of Computer and Information Technology, said the student projects, called exergames, occupy a large portion of a gym floor, incorporate lights and buzzers as well as sensors to detect movement, and program randomness to increase interest and automate scoring.

She said it is amazing to see what the students can build, adding the project can delve into untapped STEM potential in underserved or underrepresented school areas.

"The TECHFIT experience builds confidence and interest in students through the realization that they can build solutions to big societal problems," Harriger said. "In TECHFIT's case, the problem is physical inactivity."

This year, seven middle school teams from after-school programs in Indiana and Ohio will provide 10-minute presentations about their afterschool experience and 10-minute demonstrations of their exergames inventions. Students were involved in the design, development, programming, implementation, assessment and promotion of their exergames.

The presentations will be in the Feature Gym and the demonstrations of the exergames will be in Gold and Black Gym, courts 4, 5 and 6.

The awards presentations will begin at 2:45. The entire event is free and open to the public.

Middle school teachers of these students completed an intensive, summer development workshop to prepare them to deliver fall TECHFIT afterschool programs at their schools.

The Harrigers also supported a similar TECHFIT program in South Carolina that will culminate in eight middle school teams who will present their exergames on Dec. 14 at the College of Charleston. 

Writer: Brian L. Huchel, 765-494-2084, bhuchel@purdue.edu 

Source: Alka Harriger, 765-494-2565, harrigea@purdue.edu

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