Computer Science is taught by Mrs. Taricco. Not having any prior experience in computer science, Mrs. Taricco has aided me throughout my discovery of different concepts and problems. Going from not knowing anything at all, to now using HTML and CSS to create this very website, as well as different programs in Java to complete a variety of different tasks. Computer Science continues to be an exciting yet challenging course, pushing me to become a better student.
Line Art Lab creates an optical illusion using only straight lines. The illusion works by having the starting point and ending point of each line move over on the x-axis and y-axis. This code works by defining variables, then coding a for-loop to run the x and y positions, then updating it so each point moves over a certain increment. This assignment enabled me to apply new skills I learned in Computer Science, while incorporating math and an interesting illusion.
Bulgarian Solitaire was the most challenging Computer Science problem I have encountered so far. Bulgarian Solitaire takes a random number of cards and divides them into different piles that have a random size. In each round, one card is taken from each pile, and these cards are added to make a new pile at the end. Once the desk sizes reach 1, 2, 3, 4, … the game is over. Coding this was difficult for me because there were a few unique cases that had to be taken into account. The program had to account for if there was one card in a deck, and had to have a method of stopping the program when it was finished.
The audience will include a majority of smartphone users; specifically, the individuals who exceed the healthy threshold for using their phones every day. After doing research, the specific group of individuals that would benefit most from this app are teenagers/adolescents. 54% of teenagers acknowledge the fact that they spend an excessive amount of time on their phones. Among that group, 52% of them have attempted to cut back but have been unsuccessful. (Majority of Teens Admit to Excessive Cell Phone Usage [INFOGRAPHIC], 2018). Therefore, teenagers are the specific audience for this app, as there is a critical need to help them find alternative activities to indulge in and avoid using their phones. In particular, teenagers need activities that they would be interested in enough for them to participate in. Although the app proposed will require users to utilize their smartphones, as this app can only be accessed via electronic devices, this app will ultimately push users away from their phones and out into the real world, where they will be free to do fun activities that appeal to their interests. In doing so, this app’s goal is to give users ideas on things they can do, using an algorithm that makes suggestions based on the user’s personal profiles, which will comprise their interests, budget, and distance willing to travel.
As technology becomes more prominent in our increasingly digitized society, adolescents have been spending more and more time on their devices instead of being active members of society. A recent study found that in 2021, teenagers in the United States spent on average 8 hours and 39 minutes on their phones each day (Cosmo, 2024). Based on the total amount of time teenagers are awake each day, this statistic shows that teenagers spend half of their waking hours on their phones. While some of this screen usage is necessary, most of the time spent is simply mindless stimulation of their brain while there are much healthier and more productive alternatives to achieve the same stimulation. Teenagers are not only losing time as they stay on their phones, it can also negatively impact their health. Excessive amounts of screen use, such as the daily average many teenagers spend on their phones, have been linked with a variety of physical and mental health problems. These problems include impaired social-emotional development, obesity, problems sleeping, depression, and anxiety. (Mupalla et al., 2023). Kashmir Hill, a technology reporter, writes the following in her New York Times article: “My biggest regret of 2023 was my relationship to my smartphone or my ‘tech appendage’...My Apple Screen Time reports regularly clocked in at more than five hours a day”(Hill, 2024). Even though Hill was not a teenager in 2023, the addiction to her smartphone that she experienced is very much like most teenagers nowadays. With most teenagers having access to their phones throughout the day, even in most schools, screen times can easily surpass the five-hour mark that Kashmir Hill mentions. This will not only ruin their health at the moment but it will also be something that many teenagers regret when they become adults, as the time they waste on their phones could be utilized in a much more productive manner. Additionally, there is a huge percentage of teenagers who avoid in-person social interaction with one another and instead, prefer to communicate via online platforms. An infographic from a blog from SlickText states that 33% of teens spend more time socializing with close friends online than in person (44 Smartphone Addiction Statistics for 2023 [INFOGRAPHIC], 2023). Not only are teenagers avoiding in-person social interactions with friends, but even when they decide to hang out together, 52% of them have long periods of silence on their phones (44 Smartphone Addiction Statistics for 2023 [INFOGRAPHIC], 2023). If hanging out with friends means sitting together and staring at your phones, what’s the purpose of in-person social interaction? Without a doubt, phones are destroying the social connections between teenagers and there is a significant problem to address within that. There are two potential factors contributing to teenagers excessively using their phones. First, they might lack alternative activities, unsure of what else to do. Second, even if they have other options, they might lack motivation and opt for the easy entertainment provided by smartphones. This project aims to address the issue by developing an application focused on providing teenagers with engaging activities when they are not using their phones, including times spent with friends.
First and foremost, the app relies on a comprehensive database of activities curated based on feasibility, legality, and safety considerations. This database serves as the foundation for activity recommendations, ensuring that users are presented with options that align with their well-being and local regulations. This activity database takes the form of an array list of activity objects. The activity class creates an activity object that contains all the activity information, such as name, category, price, and distance. All activities are stored in an ArrayList. Then, using parameters inputted by the user, the app picks a random idea from the array and checks its information against the user's preferences. If the idea does not fit the user’s input parameters, then a new idea is chosen and checked. This process is repeated until the app finds an idea that matches what the user wants. It will then be displayed to them on the home screen. To appeal to users’ interests, the app includes the option to select activities at home or activities that require them to leave their houses. User engagement is essential to the app's functionality. Thus, data is collected directly from users regarding their preferences, interests, and favored activities. By obtaining this information through user input, we can refine recommendations and enhance the overall user experience. Specifically, the user will have buttons available to adjust their preferences at any given moment. Firstly, the user has access to a slider that they can move depending on how much money they want to spend, going from $0 to 100$. By incorporating data on pricing and costs associated with various activities, users can make informed decisions that align with their financial requirements. The data on prices of activities have been sourced through the internet, researching the cost or average cost of an activity and adding to the activity object. Along with the implementation of a Google form, users can dislike activities, removing them from the list of activities generated. The user can clear dislikes, allowing these ideas to be recommended again. Xplore was tested thoroughly, checking to ensure various combinations of user preferences and the user interface were functional.
The minimum viable product (MVP) for our app (Xplore) takes different activities the user can partake in, helping to reduce people’s screen time and boredom. Each idea is connected to a distinct category from the profile screen, making it easy to suggest activities based on user preferences. The pool of categories provided on the profile page allows the user to choose activities based on their interests. Next, the app provides the user with the option to either stay home or go out. The user can also change the amount of money they are willing to spend, with budgets ranging from 0 to 100 dollars. Whenever an idea is generated, it displays this information next to the idea itself. Finally, Xplore provides a feedback form allowing the user to submit their feedback.