MCAST launches new mobile app game designed by MCAST student

On 9 November MCAST launched the first ever downloadable mobile app game specifically designed for the Service Dogs Malta Foundation by MCAST student Irisann-Maria Agius. The launch took place in the presence of Evarist Bartolo, Minister for Education and Employment.

Irisann, a student reading Multimedia Software Development programme, designed the game around a diabetic alert service dog whose job it is to warn his handler that his blood sugar is rising or is falling to dangerous levels.

The game can be downloaded for free from the Foundation’s website www.servicedogsmalta.org onto a mobile device.

The educational game application was based on the following strategy: 1. An animated character (in this case a dog) will explain certain medical terms conditions such as what is Hypoglycemia. 2. Another character will present a multiple choice quiz with three options and one correct answer. 3. Once the correct answer is selected, the player must collect the letters to build up the word Hypoglycemia and then advance to the next level. The objective of the game is to provide the player with general knowledge related to various health conditions and via a quiz test to build up knowledge and awareness. Another stage of the game is to collect letters to form the word correctly with the intent to make the game entertaining and challenging for the player. The game will be available on SDMF website. All visitors can access the SDFM website at www.servicedogsmalta.org via their mobile phones. Visitors then can install the application and play the game directly on their mobile phones.

The MCAST ICT Technical College and SDFM are currently discussing the possibility to develop a game for persons with visual impairment which will involve audio interaction.

Buddy, Harley and Faith are the three golden retrievers that walked down the red carpet to receive their official service dog vests from the head trainer of the Service Dogs Malta Foundation, Robert Spiteri, and the graduation certificate from Joseph Stafrace, founder of the organisation.

After a year of intensive training, Buddy, Harley and Faith graduated as Autism Support Service Dogs and will now officially take up their positions by Nicholas (three years), Jake (10 years) and Thomas (four years) respectively who will benefit from their support in their everyday lives.

Harley will also be accompanying Jake to school – a first for the Foundation – and will thus also be acting as a therapy dog for all the students in his class. By law the service dogs can accompany their owners everywhere they go except hospitals and clinics. The dogs will continue to be monitored on a yearly basis to ensure that their skills’ level is maintained.

The Service Dogs Malta Foundation was set up in 2013 with the aim of providing service dogs to persons who could potentially benefit from having one. Each dog costs approximately €15,000 to train and, once qualified, is provided to the person it has been matched with for free. The Foundation has, to date, qualified five dogs and has another six dogs currently in various stages of training.

This year the Foundation will continue to focus on training dogs for autism support and diabetic alert with a special emphasis on training dogs to work with children. It will also continue its work with the students currently attending the various Resource Centres around Malta who eagerly look forward to the weekly classroom visits of the service dogs-in-training and therapy dogs.