Eduardo H. Calvillo Gámez

What is new

2018-04-24T09:46:00.000-07:00

Organising the CHI 2010 Workshop: Video Games as Research Instruments.
"Assessing the Core Elements of the Gaming Experience" to be published in the book "Evaluating User Experience in Games" by Springer-Verlag, and edited by Regina Bernhaupt. Order yours now! (Available early 2010).
I have joined the faculty of New Information Technologies at Universidad Politécnica de San Luis Potosí as "Profesor-Investigador" (Assistant Professor in the USA or Lecturer in the UK).
"The Case of User Experience in Video Games" accepted for publication and to be presented as a poster at CLIHC'09.
PhD Thesis successfully defended on the 20-July-09; exactly on the tenth year anniversary of defending my BSc thesis. My thesis was examined by Prof. Mel Slater (Internal - UCL) and Prof. Yvonne Rogers (External - Open University).

About my research interesets

2017-04-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

I am a researcher interested in the interaction between humans and technology. My main research interests are user experience, input devices and video games.

In previous projects I had worked on evaluating, and identifying, the user experience for video games. I have also been involved in projects for defining the relationship between business and technology. I have consulted on understanding the flow and organisation of information within an organization. I have also explored the role of governments in establishing policies to foster technological development in a third world country. And in the far past, I worked on the modelling of new interaction techniques, CAD for VLSI, Computer Vision and Usability Evaluations.

Assessing the Core Elements of the Gaming Experience

2009-09-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

Eduardo H. Calvillo Gámez, Paul Cairns & Anna L. Cox

Abstract — This chapter presents the theory of the Core Elements of the Gaming Experience (CEGE). The CEGE are the necessary but not sufficient conditions to pro-vide a positive experience while playing video-games. This theory, formulated using qualitative methods, is presented with the aim of studying the gaming experience ob-jectively. The theory is abstracted using a model and implemented in questionnaire. This chapter discusses the formulation of the theory, introduces the model, and shows the use of the questionnaire in an experiment to differentiate between two different experiences.

Email me for a pre-print of the PDF.
Chapter 4 in Regina Bernhaupt (ed), "Evaluating User Experience in Games". Springer Verlag, London, UK, 2010.

The Case of User Experience in Video Games

2009-08-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

Eduardo H. Calvillo Gámez, Paul Cairns & Anna L. Cox

Abstract — In this paper we present the Core Elements of the Gaming Experience (CEGE) as a theoretical framework for the user experience of playing video games. The paper brieﬂy presents survey of the status quo of the study of the experience of playing video games. We argue that these approaches fail to provide an objective assessment of the prosaic experience, thus we present the CEGE as a way to understand and study the user experience.

Keywords - User Experience, Video Games, CEGE

PDF Coming Soon!
ISBN Proceedings of CLIHC'09: Conferencia Latinoaméricana de Interacción Humano Computadora, Merida, Yucatan, 2009.

From the Gaming Experience to the Wider User Experience

2009-06-11T07:11:00.000-07:00

Eduardo H. Calvillo Gámez, Paul Cairns & Anna L. Cox

Abstract: In this paper we discuss the different elements of the gaming experience and their relation to other concepts within HCI. The objective is to showcase how the different elements that form the gaming experience can be used to understand further issues regarding user experience. The objectives of games are, after all, to provide players with a positive experience. Understanding the elements that eventually lead players to have a positive experience should provide feedback about the wider user experience concept. Although video-games and non-game applications seem to be two different domains of study, in terms of experience, they both aim to improve the individual’s experience.

Keywords: User Experience, Video-Games, Theory, Games

PDF Coming soon.
Proceedings of HCI 2009 - The British Computer Society Human Computer Interaction Conference, Cambridge, UK 2009

On the Core Elements of the Experience of Playing Video Games

2009-06-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

Eduardo Héctor Calvillo Gámez
Ph.D. Thesis
UCL Interaction Centre & Department of Computer Science

Abstract

This dissertation presents a multi-method approach to study the user experience of playing video games. The motivation is to devise an objective assessment of the concept of user experience. It is proposed that user experience is better understood when it is studied as a two fold phenomenon formed by a process and an outcome. This definition allows combining the subjective nature of experience together with the objectivity needed to propose an objective assessment of experience. An experience is personal in the achieved outcome, during the process of forming it there are elements
specific to the type of experience common to all individuals.

The thesis presents a series of studies to explore and understand the gaming experience as well as to identify the procedural elements of the experience. The outcome of the studies was the formulation of the Core Elements of the Gaming Experience (CEGE) theory, which focused on the process of the experience. The metaphor of ”puppetry” is used to provide a link to the outcome of the experience. Based on the theory, a questionnaire and model were developed. The model was validated using Structural Equation Modelling, which provided an adequate fit suggesting that the CEGE model is an accurate abstraction of the process of the gaming experience. Lastly, the theory was used to study different gaming experiences under different conditions. The results suggest that the CEGE theory can be used to assess this type of experience. It also shows that this method can be replicated in other domains to assess user experience.

The contributions of this dissertation are: a novel approach to understand user experience as a falsifiable concept, a theory and metaphor to describe the gaming experience, a model that describes the gaming experience, and an instrument that can be used to assess and explore different gaming experiences.

Enjoying my time playing video-games

2009-03-06T03:08:00.000-08:00

A poster for the UCL Graduate Research Poster Competition

Pulling the Strings: A Theory of Puppetry for the Gaming Experience

2008-04-20T09:29:00.000-07:00

Eduardo H. Calvillo Gámez & Paul Cairns

Abstract - In this paper we introduce the theory of puppetry to understand the gaming experience. The paper concentrates on discussing the importance of operationalising the user experience, and how puppetry can be used to do so within the videogame domain. The paper aims to bringing the experience of playing videogames closer to objective knowledge, where the experience can be assessed and falsified. Experience is defined as a two fold phenomenon: process and outcome. The theory focuses on explaining the basic elements that form the core of the process of the experience. It argues that puppetry is formed by control and ownership. The name of puppetry is introduced after discussing the similarities in the importance of experience between videogames and theatrical puppetry. Then, puppetry operationalises the gaming experience into a concept that can be assessed.

Keywords - Gaming Experience, Puppetry

Pulling the Strings: A Theory of Puppetry for the Gaming Experience (Presented Version)
Pulling the Strings: A Theory of Puppetry for the Gaming Experience (Published Version)
Third Conference on the Philosophy of Computer Games
Conference Proceedings of Philosophy of Computer Games 2008
Potsdam, Germany, May 2008

Assessing the Gaming Experience Using Puppetry

2008-04-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

Eduardo H. Calvillo Gámez, Paul Carins & Ann Blandford

Abstract - In this paper we address the question: What factors of game experience are measured and have to be measured? by proposing a concept called Puppetry to assess the experience while playing videogames. Puppetry was obtained using qualitative methods on the experiences of players. The main characteristic of Puppetry is that it looks at the common elements of videogames that allow the user to build the experience.

Keywords - User Experience, Videogames, Gaming Experience

Assessing the Gaming Experience Using Puppetry
Evaluating User Experience in Games workshop at ACM CHI 2008
Florence, Italy, 2008

About me

2008-04-20T02:51:00.000-07:00

I grew up in San Luis Potosi, México. I studied Electronic Engineering at the Sciences School of Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosi and Electrical Engineering at Tufts University. After working as a summer intern at Avici Systems in their ASIC and Hardware departments, I realized that more than developing technology, I was interested in understanding the interaction between humans and technology.

Then I spend two years working with Rob Jacob on Tangible User Interfaces and worked as an intern at Verizon Labs, in their E-Commerce department, as a Usability Expert. I moved back to Méxicoin 2005 and I joined the Information Technology faculty of Universidad Politécnica de San Luis Potosí, where I lectured on Java, Theory of Computation, Computer Organization and Human Computer Interaction. I was in charge of developing the curricula of Information Technology Engineering and Telematics Engineering, as well as the certification programs for students.

I hold a Ph.D. on Human Computer Interaction from University College London, my supervisors were Dr. Paul Cairns and Dr. Anna L. Cox and I was sponsored by SEP-PROMEP and Universidad Politécnica de San Luis Potosí.

I rejoined the faculty of New Information Technologies at UPSLP on September 2009.

Reviewing

2008-04-14T05:26:00.000-07:00

I enjoy the role of reviewing papers and other research projects that more people are working on. I have reviewed papers for:

Interact 2009
MEXIHC 2008 (Member of the Program Committee)
BCS-HCI 2007 & 2008
CHI 2008
Journal of Personal and Ubiquitous Computing
DMS 2006
DS-VIS 2006
CISCI 2005
CLIHC 2003 & 2009

Feel free to send me your work for comments.

Workshop presentation

2007-11-05T00:12:00.000-08:00

I am attending the 10th Human-Centred Technology Postgraduate Workshop in Sussex on December 6th, where I am presenting a poster..... I submitted my abstract (see previous post).

Consulting

2007-05-11T14:10:00.000-07:00

I am available for consulting in the following areas:

Video-Game Experience
User Centred Design
Technology Usage
User Experience and Usability Studies
Information Flow
Questionnaire Design and Analysis

I am available to do consulting in projects that are managed in English or Spanish languages.

Teaching & Supervision

2007-05-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

Supervision of Projects

Ji Huang, Strategy and Video Games, Thesis, MSc. on Human Computer Interaction and Ergonomics, UCL 2009 (In Progress)
Jodi Crisp, Pervasive Games and User Experience, Thesis, MSc. on Human Computer Interaction and Ergonomics, UCL 2008

Teaching

Human-Computer Interaction
Video-Games
Theory of Computation
Object Oriented Programming with Java
Data Structures with Java
Introduction to Programming
Discrete Mathematics
Computer Organization

I have taught at Universidad Politécnica de San Luis Potosí, The University of York (as the lab leader of a master's module on HCI, you can read the full experience here, written by Paul Cairns who was the leader of the course), UCL and Tufts University (as a Teaching Assistant and during the College of Teaching Excellence).

Other Webpages

2007-04-10T04:28:00.000-07:00

Here is the info about my other webpages:

UCLIC Homepage - My official webpage at UCLIC.
CS Homepage - Official webpage at CS-UCL, computer generated I guess.
Pairos y Cronopios - My Reflections and Feelins about my everyday life (In Spanish).
La Tramoya - My ideas about the interaction between Technology, Education and Society (In Spanish).

Public Communication

2006-05-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

One of the key duties of being an academic is public communication. I really enjoy being part of projects that are aimed at the public dissemination of science, technology and engineering. I have volunteered to work as editor in the following projects:

Revista Farsa - Web Master & Technology Editor, 2006-2007 - Tramoya was born when the magazine died (Spanish).
UCL Opticon 1826 - Engineering Sciences Editor, Issues 3 & 4
BCS Interfaces, MyPhD Co-Editor (with Stephen Hassard), 2008-2009

And I have collaborated in:

Universidad Politécnica de San Luis Potosí: 1er Simposio de Tecnologías de Información y Telemática.
Radio GRID-TI - In Spanish - Program 23

The TAC Paradigm: Specifying Tangible User Interfaces

2004-09-10T04:44:00.000-07:00

ORIT SHAER, NANCY LELAND, EDUARDO H. CALVILLO-GAMEZ, ROBERT J.K. JACOB

Abstract This paper introduces a paradigm for describing and specifying Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs). The proposed TAC (Token and Constraints) paradigm captures the core components of TUIs while addressing many of the conceptual challenges unique to building these interfaces. The paradigm enables the description of a broad range of TUIs by providing a common set of constructs. Thus, the TAC Paradigm lays the foundation for a high level description language and a software toolkit for TUIs. We evaluate the proposed paradigm by testing its ability to specify a wide variety of existing TUIs.

Keywords: Tangible User Interface (TUI), Physical Computing, Token and Constraints
(TAC), User Interface Management System (UIMS), User Interface Description
Language (UIDL), Software toolkit.

The TAC Paradigm: Specifying Tangible User Interfaces
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00779-004-0298-3
Personal and Ubiquitous Computing
Volume 8 , Issue 5 (September 2004)
Pages: 359 - 369
Year of Publication: 2004
ISSN:1617-4909

Static Timing Analysis for Level-Clocked Circuits in the Presence of Cross Talk

2003-09-10T05:06:00.000-07:00

Soha Hassoun, Christopher Cromer, Eduardo Calvillo-Gámez

Abstract—Static timing analysis is instrumental in efficiently verifying a design’s temporal behavior to ensure correct functionality at the required frequency. This paper addresses static timing analysis in the presence of cross talk for circuits containing level sensitive latches, typical in high-performance designs. The paper focuses on two problems. First, coupling in a sequential circuit can occur because of the proximity of a victim’s switching input to any periodic occurrence of the aggressor’s input switching window. This paper shows that only three consecutive periodic
occurrences of the aggressor’s input switching window must be considered. Second, an arrival time in a sequential circuit is typically computed relative to a specific clock phase. The paper
proposes a new phase shift operator to align the aggressor’s three relevant switching windows with the victim’s input signals. This paper solves the static analysis problem for level-clocked
circuits iteratively in polynomial time, and it shows an upper bound on the number of iterations equal to the number of capacitors in the circuit. The contributions of this paper hold for any discrete overlapping coupling model. The experimental results demonstrate that eliminating false coupling allows finding a smaller clock period at which a circuit will run.

Static Timing Analysis for Level-Clocked Circuits in the Presence of Cross Talk
Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems, IEEE Transactions on
Publication Date: Sept. 2003
Volume: 22, Issue: 9
On page(s): 1270- 1277
ISSN: 0278-0070
INSPEC Accession Number: 7727044
Digital Object Identifier: 10.1109/TCAD.2003.816209

The TAC Paradigm: Unified Conceptual Framework to Represent Tangible User Interfaces

2003-08-10T04:49:00.000-07:00

Eduardo H. Calvillo Gámez, Nancy Leland, Orit Shaer and Robert J.K. Jacob
ABSTRACT This paper introduces a new paradigm for describing Tangible User Interfaces (TUI). The paradigm presented here encompasses existing TUI classications and proposes a unified conceptual framework with which all TUIs can be understood. In order to show that the new paradigm holds and can be generalized we analyzed several existing TUIs using the
proposed paradigm.
KEYWORDS: Tangible User Interface (TUI), TAC, Pyfo

The TAC Paradigm: Unified Conceptual Framework to Represent Tangible User Interfaces
ACM International Conference Proceeding Series; Vol. 46
Proceedings of the Latin American conference on Human-computer interaction
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
SESSION: Full papers
Pages: 9 - 15
Year of Publication: 2003

Information Infrastructure Enhancement Initiatives: A Case Study in Ghana

2002-05-06T05:42:00.000-07:00

Calvillo-Gámez E.H. Guang H.K., Lim S., Mutuku F.L.,

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Context
Internet development in Ghana is constrained by low teledensity, high dial-up tariffs, a workforce that is severely lacking in IT education, and low bandwidth both intra- and inter-nationally. Ghana hence faces grave challenges in building its national information infrastructure:

A digital divide is rapidly forming between the capital Accra and the other towns beyond the metropolitan magnetism of the country’s commercial core;
Within Accra, where fixed line telephony infrastructure is well established, there is increasing demand for affordable and reliable broadband Internet access services from enterprises and industries both multinational and local.

Proposal
This project proposes ICT initiatives to address commercial and social development needs that are fundamental to socioeconomic development in Ghana. Specifically, two initiatives are proposed:

ICT for Enterprises: Provision of cost-effective broadband Internet access and services for industries and enterprises
ICT for Connectivity and Education: Provision of basic Internet access and basic IT training to secondary school students and local communities (businesses and private individuals) via school-based telecenters.

Mission
As an emerging economy with a sound basic education system, a strife-free society and a business-friendly environment largely free of the meddling of kleptocratic politicians, Ghana today is at the stage of development shared by the East Asian ‘tiger’ economies at the start of their respective industrialization processes in the 1960s. These initiatives therefore aspire to achieve the following outcomes:

Cognizant that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and local enterprises established by local entrepreneurs will form the engines of growth, the ICT-for-Enterprises initiative aims to provide a model for the provision of adequate, low-cost and reliable information in the metropolitan areas and industrial zones to attract MNCs and high-tech, IT-enabled SMEs (small-medium enterprises).
Universal access, at least in urban areas, is an achievable goal that can be achieved via the provision of low cost public access facilities for telecommunications and the Internet, and is one aim of the ICT-for-Connectivity-and-Education initiative.
The second aim of the ICT-for-Connectivity-and-Education initiative is to provide IT education and training to students and members of local communities so as to create a workforce that can ultimately be assimilated into the emerging, high value-added, knowledge-based service and high-tech sectors.

Implementation
The proposed initiatives therefore support Ghana’s broad economic goals, and in terms of implementation, they are designed to be financially self-reliant to the extent possible, with a rollout process that is incremental and demand-driven. The ICT-for-Enterprise initiative is expected to be fully financially self-sustainable, with its growth determined wholly by market demand. The ICT-for-Connectivity-and-Education initiative is expected to be, at minimum, operationally sustainable, with possible financial relief from the State or NGOs required in covering its initial capital expenditure. The costs and revenue structures for both initiatives conceivably differ given the different intentions, policies, and factors that govern development in each case.

Conclusion
This project hence proposes two initiatives that seek to address key challenges that will dominate Ghanaian socioeconomic development in the coming decade in ways that are cost-feasible and attractive. Further work will be necessary in reaffirming many of the findings and projected results that have been arrived herein, as well as to explore the ways by which greater international bandwidth, so sorely lacking and yet difficult to obtain at affordable cost, can be acquired.

"Information Infrastructure Enhancement Initiatives: A Case Study in Ghana".
MIT, DHP P232/ ESD.127

Verifying Clock Schedules in the Presence of Cross Talk

2002-03-10T05:12:00.000-08:00

Soha Hassoun, Christopher Cromer, Eduardo Calvillo Gámez

Abstract - This paper addresses verifying the timing of circuits containing level-sensitive latches in the presence of cross talk. We show that three consecutive periodic occurrences of the
aggressor’s input switching window must be compared with the victim’s input switching window. We propose a new phase shift operator to allow aligning the aggressor’s threerelevant switching windows with the victim’s input signals. We solve the problem iteratively in polynomial time, and
show an upper bound on the number of iterations equal to the number of capacitors in the circuit. Our experiments demonstrate that eliminating false coupling results in finding a smaller clock period at which a circuit will run.

Verifying Clock Schedules in the Presence of Cross Talk
Design, Automation and Test in Europe Conference and Exhibition, 2002. Proceedings
Publication Date: 2002
On page(s): 346-350
Meeting Date: 03/04/2002 - 03/08/2002
Location: Paris, France
ISBN: 0-7695-1471-5

List of Publications

1999-03-26T05:01:00.000-08:00

E.H. Calvillo-Gámez, P. Cairns and Anna L. Cox, "Assessing the Core Elements of the Gaming Experience", Chapter 4 in R. Bernhaupt (Ed) "Evaluating User Experience in Games", Springer Verlag, London, UK, 2010.
E.H. Calvillo-Gámez, P. Cairns and Anna L. Cox, "The Case of User Experience in Video Games", Proc. of the CLIHC 2009 Conference. Merida, Yucatan, México, November 2009.
E.H. Calvillo-Gámez, P. Cairns and Anna L. Cox, "From the Gaming Experience to the Wider User Experience", Proc. of the BCS-HCI 2009 Conference. Cambridge, UK, September 2009.
E.H. Calvillo-Gámez, "My PhD: Assessing the Gaming Experience", BCS Interfaces, 74 Spring 2008, London, UK, 2008.
E.H. Calvillo-Gámez and P. Cairns, "Pulling the Strings. A Theory of Puppetry for the Gaming Experience" Third Conference on the Philosophy of Computer Games. Potsdam, Germany, May 2008. Cited by
E.H. Calvillo-Gámez, P. Cairns and A. Blandford, "Assessing the Gaming Experience using Puppetry", Evaluating User Experience in Games workshop at ACM CHI 2008, Florence, Italy, 2008
E.H. Calvillo-Gámez, "Assessing the Gaming Experience using Puppetry", Abstract and poster presented at the Human-Centred Technology Postgraduate Workshop 2007. Sussex, UK, December 6, 2007.
E.H. Calvillo-Gámez, "The Role of Input Devices in the Gaming Experience", Proc. of the Ph.D. Consortium of the BCS-HCI 2007 Conference. Lancaster, UK, Aug 2007.
E.H. Calvillo-Gámez, "The Role of Input Devices in the Gaming Experience", Proc. of the Ph.D. Consortium of the 14th European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics. London, UK, Aug 2007.
O. Shaer, N. Leland, E.H. Calvillo-Gámez, and R.J.K. Jacob, "The TAC Paradigm: Specifying Tangible User Interfaces", Personal and Ubiquitous Computing , vol. 8, no. 5, pp. 359-369, Sept. 2004. Cited by
E.H. Calvillo-Gámez, J. Carbajal-Gutiérrez, K. Diaz de León, J. García Saucedo, et al. "Developing an Information System Using User Centered Design". In Proc. of IEEE ROC&C, 2004. Acapulco, México (Paper based on the work from a HCI class I thought).
Hassoun, S., Cromer, C., Calvillo-Gámez E.H., "Static Timing Analysis for Level-Clocked Circuits in the Presence of Cross Talk", IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design, September, 2003. Cited by
E.H. Calvillo-Gámez, N. Leland, O. Shaer, and R.J.K. Jacob, "The TAC Paradigm: Unified Conceptual Framework to Represent Tangible User Interfaces," CLIHC 2003 Latin American Conference on Human-Computer Interaction , 2003. Cited by and by
Hassoun, S., Cromer, C., Calvillo-Gámez E.H., "Verifying Clock Schedules in the Presence of Cross Talk", Design Automation and Test in Europe (DATE) Conference, March 2002. Cited by
Calvillo-Gámez E.H. Guang H.K., Lim S., Mutuku F.L., "Information Infrastructure Enhancement Initiatives: A Case Study in Ghana". MIT, DHP P232/ ESD.127, 2002. Cited by
Calvillo-Gámez, E.H. & Jacob, R.J.K, "Tangible Bookmarks", Tufts University 2002. (I can't find the PDF, but the results were presented at the Graduate Student Colloquia and the Computer Science Seminar - Click on link for Abstract.)
Calvillo-Gámez E.H., "Visión Computacional y el Método de Conjunto de Niveles: Detección de Formas". Tesis de Licenciatura (Bachelors Degree Thesis), Supervisor: Dr. Gelasio Salazar , Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosí, 1999.