A screen overlay for a personal electronic device coupled with an educational application launched on the device provides a work surface for engaging in fluidic based chemistry experiments while shielding the device from the liquid used for the experiments. The screen overlay has liquid encapsulating regions for retention of a pooled liquid deposited on the overlay, and is transmissive of touch signals to a touch screen on the device. An educational application executing on the device renders predetermined regions on the device display that are coordinated with the fluid retention regions. A liquid deposition vessel such as a dropper has a conductive outer surface for engaging a user's grasp, and a wire or conductor is adapted to extend through the pooled liquid for contact with the screen overlay. The screen overlay is transmissive of capacitance signals emanating from the user for indicating fluidic presence to the educational application on the device.

A method of interaction using augmented reality may include aligning a local augmented reality (AR) view to a remote AR view of a remote user, receiving remote annotations from the remote user, sending local annotations registered to a local view to the remote user, and manipulating local view with remote and local annotations. The method may also include capturing a first video image using a camera, generating first augmented reality (AR) coordinates corresponding to the first video image, receiving second AR coordinates, 3D object information and second video frame from remote user, loading 3D content and instructions from a remote storage, and updating positions and existence of the received 3D object information and the loaded 3D content.

A method for providing points obtained through a learning application as cash available in real life, a learning application controlling method includes: managing a point history to store point information that calculates points, which are obtained by performing a predetermined process provided from the learning application by each user account and/or transmit the point information to a server device; obtaining cash information assigned to a predetermined number of user accounts in a descending point acquisition order of total points based on the point information that the server device obtains from a plurality of terminals, from the server device; obtaining conversion point information on cash to be withdrawn in cash assigned to the user account based on the cash information; obtaining a withdrawal means for the withdrawal and payment information; and transmitting payment request information based on the conversion point information, the withdrawal means, and the payment information.

A fitness achievement definition may define a fitness achievement using trigger information and one or more achievement rules. The fitness achievement may be earnable by a user of a user device by meeting the requirements of the fitness achievement. The fitness achievement definition may be stored on a user device that includes an application that collects data including fitness data. Detection of a trigger event corresponding to the trigger information and evaluation of the achievement rules may be managed by the user device. In some examples, a fitness communication relating to the fitness achievement may be presented at the user device.

Methods and systems to facilitate real time communications and commerce via answers presented to questions. One embodiment includes one or more web servers to receive from a second user an answer to a question of a first user, and to present the answer with a communication reference of a connection provider to a third user; a session border controller of the connection provider to interface with a packet switched network; and one or more telecommunication servers of the connection provider coupled with the session border controller to connect the third user to the second user for real time communications in response to a request made via the communication referenced. One embodiment includes: receiving from a second user an answer to a question of a first user; and presenting to a third user the answer with a reference for requesting fee-based content from or real time communications with the second user.

This invention concerns methods and systems for monitoring one or more students' use of computers, measuring, analyzing, and summarizing in statistical and pedagogical ways learning quality, on-task versus off-taskness, making diagnostic and prescriptive recommendations, and displaying relevant and configurable results in real time and historically in meaningful ways to students, teachers, and various educationalists and managers.

A service may be provided that allows interacting users to interact with characters presented by devices of the interacting users. The operation of the character presented to an interacting user may be customized for that interacting user. For example, a first controlling user may specify first information for configuring or controlling the operation of the character when the character is interacting with a first interacting user, and a second controlling user may specify second information for configuring or controlling the operation of the character when the character is interacting with a second interacting user. The information provided by a controlling user may be used to select a segment to be used for a session between an interacting user and the character.

The invention is a method and system of creating and delivering dynamic and customized tour guides to a user through an electronic device. The system takes into account factors including the speed, direction of movement, and geographical location of a user's electronic device along with a user's preferences, and calculating a timeframe in which a user will be in proximity to a point of interest to create and deliver a customized and tailored tour guide experience. The system and method is scalable and allows a multitude of individual users simultaneously have individually tailored tour guides delivered to them covering a broad range of topics including architecture, history, surrounding nature, and current events of points of interest along a user's pre-defined or predicted user route.

A distance learning device for providing laboratory instruction via two-way interaction with a student at a remote location and system for using same.

A method for educating a patient through a collaborative network is provided. The patient is authenticated with a username and a password. A request is received by a server for entry to a repository for educational design activities. Each of educational design activities includes exemplar design configurations and material lists and is configured to include photographs and written texts for other patients who have completed the associated educational design activity. A hypertext document is transmitted to the client computer—which includes the education design activities. The hypertext document is configured to be displayed through a browsing application on the client computer. A request is received by the server from the client computer for access to a selected education design activity, and access is provided to a design engine for the selected educational design activity. A design file created by the patient is then stored using the design engine.