Using Blender For eLearning - Blender.org

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Overview. eLearning scenario in India. About our project. Application of Blender in our scenario. Challenges. Case studies. Chemical lab experiment. Scientific ...
Using Blender For eLearning Sameer Sahasrabudhe IIT Bombay, INDIA

Over view eLearning scenario in India About our project Application of Blender in our scenario Challenges Case studies Chemical lab experiment Scientific toys for kids

About me Graduate of Fine Arts: with experience in advertising Trained cell animator: fortunate to have russian masters Head of digital department of India’s leading animation studio Core team member: India’s first Live+Animation film Project manager: eLearning projects, at India’s premiere engineering institute: IIT Bombay Free lance animator, live action film maker Researcher in educational technology specifically: animation Blender enthusiast and a trainer!

Introduction eLearning scenario in India Open and distance learning Open universities: IGNOU, YCMOU Number of students enrolling is significantly large: The infrastructure is getting geared up Key issue: Availability of content Solution: OPEN SOURCE Content!

Our approach Project proposal approved by Government of India Scope of the project: Popularize Open Source tools: Blender Create Open Source repositories using these tools Create a platform for collaborative content development College / university level sub projects for content generation Replicating the process followed for Project OSCAR

Project OSCAR @ IIT Bombay Project OSCAR Open Source Courseware Animations Repository K-12 level subjects Undergraduate level subjects Technology used: JAVA Currently over 100 animations developed, and available!

Project OSCAR Site details

One sample animation

Inclusion Of Blender Why Blender? Certain critical concepts require the 3rd dimension comprehensive explanation Example: Complex lab experiments in chemical engineering OSCAR 3D: to expand the offerings in 3D Blender is Free and Open Source Accepts various other 3D file formats Can be scaled up based on the popularity of 3D animation

Matches our philosophy!

Challenges in implementation Blender training: Lack of availability in India Mostly to be self taught! Less awareness (about the software) Certification options not available Blender technology: Fluid animation with interactivity Blender Game Engine (BGE) support

Over view eLearning scenario in India About our project Application of Blender in our scenario Challenges Case studies Chemical lab experiment Scientific toys for kids

Case Study 1 Vapour Liquid Equilibrium (VLE) experiment Chemical engineering department Undergraduate Lab Expectations of domain experts from the 3D animated content: Should be usable by the course instructors to explain the experiment Should demonstrate cross sectional views Should have interactivity (proposed)

Case Study1: VLE experiment The starting point: Lab photos Lab instructor’s manual and diagrams

Case Study1: VLE experiment Our methodology: Divided into 3 deliverables: Step 1: 3D model of the assembly to facilitate understanding Should offer various 3D views, as the assembly is complex Step 2: Animation of the actual procedure Can be mixed with Live shoots if required Step 3: Interactivity addition (proposed) To enable the user to edit the parameters, change view angles and disassemble the apparatus to study individual components

Case Study1: VLE experiment: Screenshots

Case Study1: VLE experiment: Videos

Case Study1: VLE experiment: Interactivity VLE model Proposed interactivity Drag and drop Editing possibilities of the parameters Challenges: Blender Game Engine Fluid and particle dynamics Our attempts: Exporting Blender meshes to Panda3D Adding interactivity using Python scripting

Case Study1: VLE experiment: Interactivity Our attempts: Exporting Blender meshes to Panda3D Exporter: ! Chicken r76b File Format:! .egg Developing a Python Application using subroutines from the Panda Library. The interactivity is implemented using individual scripts Integrating the meshes and the application into an installer package: Packpanda Py2Exe PyInstaller

Case Study 2 Scientific toys for children To propagate science education in a fun way Why 3D animation: Should be easy to understand Animation of the scientific principle Should be interactive (proposed)

Case Study 2: Scientific toys for children The starting point: www.arvindguptatoys.com Website, books and videos

Case Study 2: Scientific toys for children Our methodology Use videos to explain the making of the toy Use 2D/3D animation to explain the working principle Create repository of the objects/animations Host it on Project OSCAR for free usage The steps: Identify the scientific principles Create storyboards Model the objects required Animate

Case Study 2: Scientific toys for children: Screenshots

Case Study 2: Scientific toys for children: Videos

Help Required: Blender India certification plan BGE experts to solve the interactivity options Reviewers of the animated content created Participation from the community

Acknowledgements

My research guide: Prof. Sridhar Iyer Other professors at IIT Bombay: Prof. Sanjay Mahajani, Prof. Prabhuramchandra

Blender team at IIT Bombay: Bhairavnath Lahotkar Chirag Raman Gokul Menon Priyam Mukhopadhyay Nitin Ayer

Questions

Sameer Sahasrabudhe [email protected] www.1000brains.com www.oscar.iitb.ac.in