Academic Research
At the Asami Lab, in order to test my hypothesis on the applicability of the Multiple Resource Theory in the design of desktop widgets, I designed a program to test the subjects' ability to perform a simple calculation while simultaneously drawing upon their short-term memory. For example, the first screen of the test interface asked the subject to calculate the sum of 12 and 23. Upon entering an answer, a second screen would come up that would ask the subject to calculate the sum of x and 46, where x would be the answer submitted by the subject on the first screen. Each subject was required to repeat similar tasks within a given number of time, and the program recorded the number of correctly answered questions and average response time for each question. This testing software was programmed using C and Google App Engine upon an HTML interface.
Virtual Earth's Application
Virtual Earth is a geospatial mapping platform produced by Microsoft. I manipulated Virtual Earth by software techniques such as Visual Web Developer 2008, C#, Javascript, Ajax and Microsoft SQL Server Database to display the hotels within a specified distance and enhanced the functionality to allow users to compare features between the two hotels.
Sorting Competition
In Summer 2008, I participated in the Sorting Competition held at the University of Tokyo to sort all the words appearing in an English novel into alphabetical. My team focused on the fact that the processing speed of sorting algorithms, such as quicksort, mergesort, heapsort and bubblesort, slowed down dramatically if the amount of data being sorted went above a certain amount. We determined the optimal data size for each sorting algorithm, divided up the data and sorted them simultaneously using each sorting algorithm, then created our own sorting algorithm to complete the task. As result, my team placed 2nd among more than 50 teams that competed.
Practicum
In Summer 2008, I enrolled in a practicum called Experiments and Exercise on Electrical, Electronic, and Information and Communication 1. This course spent several weeks on programming theory and experiments relating to the following topics (1) IP networks, (2) binary search tree, and (3) online shopping mall production.
For the session relating to IP networks, I learned the basics of Linux programming, debugging, file I/O, sound I/O, audio signal processing, digital signal processing, and network programming. Based on these concepts, I used socket programming to create a system to serve as internet phone or teleconferencing system with multiple participants.
For the session relating to binary session tree, I learned to construct a node-based binary tree data structure to search, insert, delete, traverse and sort through large amounts of given data.
The final session involved the creation of an online shopping mall using socket programming, HTML and CSS. Based on successful completion of the practicum, I received an A for the semester.
C Programming
In winter 2007, I enrolled in a class called Fundamental Exercise on Programming. This class covered the fundamentals of C programming and basic theory of computer languages. I completed weekly assignments, increasing in complexity starting from file I/O and functions to creating a program to solve complex mathematical puzzles. I received an A for the semester.
Java Programming
In winter 2007, I enrolled in a class called Computer Algorithm, which focused on Java and object-oriented programming. I completed weekly assignments, increasing in complexity starting from basic concepts such as multi-thread and garbage collector. I received an A for the semester.