Touching Triton

By HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology

Business Category

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skills and Ideas Taught:  Players are introduced to the NASA lunar architecture and inspired to consider careers in science and engineering.  Strategy, teamwork and problem solving are promoted.

Goal or Challenge:  Mitigate risk and treat common complex diseases (type 2 diabetes, heart disease, colon cancer, etc) for a crew of six embarking on a 20-year space exploration mission. Players are asked to assess risk and make packing choices on the ship to keep the crew alive for the next 20 years.

Primary Audience:  High school through college aged students (16-21)

Assessment Approach:  Players must use the information presented within the game to complete tasks associated with determining which risk factors are present for common complex diseases for a crew member. As students determine risk factors present, they are asked to determine risk level based on that data. Educators can access student choices in real time through an educator account to track student progress, risk estimates, and a comparison of student choices vs. expected choices. Students who make appropriate risk assessments and packing choices are at a higher likelihood of a successful mission where all crew members survive the 20-year space mission and return healthy.

Description:  Touching Triton is a serious game set in a 20-year spaceflight mission to the moon of Neptune, Triton. In this game, players are challenged with sorting through medical record, genomic and family history data to determine a crew member’s risk for six common complex diseases. The goal of the game is to use that information to make informed decisions about items to pack on the ship that help mitigate risk or treat disease. Not all items can be packed so players must use risk information to choose strategically in order to have the highest likelihood that all crew members will return to earth alive and healthy.

Game Engine: HTML5 web application

Operating System:  Web

Platform:  Personal Computer

Special Hardware:  None