I didn’t expect the Deeper Dive to actually actually diving, but we’ve dove head first in the material nonetheless. We have been working on defining our project and understanding the intricacies of machine learning. Our idea for the project is to take Adam’s machine learning code for an autonomous car in VR and attempt to optimize it ourselves, aiming to develop the fastest-learning Anthonomus car and ultimately beat Adam’s car.
While delving into the process of machine learning has been great, I must admit that grappling with Python, a language I have never used before, has presented a significant challenge. Understanding the concepts and applying them in Python requires a different way of thinking that I am currently struggling to grasp. However, I’m just glad to be able to work with something technical and wade through the muddy waters as much as possible.
On Wednesday, I woke up to an unprecedented experience, especially for someone used to living in the countryside. The wildfires in Canada had significantly impacted the air quality index in Ames, reaching a staggering 162. Despite the challenging conditions, I still had my seven-mile run. Running through the dense, chilly smog made me disagree with those who called the compromised air quality “Free Fitness.” Until the air clears, I’ve decided to drive out to the country roads for my runs.
The major highlight of the week was the visit from the students from Storm Lake, who came to assist us with our research. We had the opportunity to meet them and discuss our summer research project. Later that evening, we went out to dinner together, although it was a bit hectic for me since I had initially planned to attend a concert in Des Moines with nonrefundable tickets (sorry, Andric). Nonetheless, the dinner was enjoyable, and it allowed us to get to know our graduate mentors better.
Thursday began with an HCI session focused on what to expect from academic conferences and how to navigate them. We then had the Storm Lake students join us for a Luncheon Lecture by Myra Cohen, where she presented her research on musical perception and coding. Our interest was piqued when she demonstrated her program, which played different sounds depending on the code being run.
Later in the day, we had a significant meeting with the Storm Lake students atop the Innovation Center, providing a refreshing change of scenery from our usual meetings at the VRAC. During this meeting, we brainstormed themes and story elements for our game, while also listening to the students share their unique experiences of transitioning from a community like Storm Lake to a school like Iowa State.
I’m looking forward to another productive day working with the Storm Lake students tomorrow. I can’t wait to start making some real tangible progress on the game.
