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The Jewish Tradition of Tsedakah as Exemplified in Pushkes – Online Exhibit

The Jewish Tradition of Tsedakah as Exemplified in Pushkes – Online Exhibit

The pushke exhibit first appeared at the Jean & Samuel Frankel Center for Judaic Studies in the summer of 2015. The exhibit was composed of 40 pushkes (charitable donation boxes) of all shapes and sizes, situated in a series of display cases. The many diverse charity boxes reflect the breadth of the Jewish Heritage Collection Dedicated to Mark and Dave Harris, and illustrate the value of giving in Jewish communities throughout the world. Prior to being moved into storage for safekeeping, the collection underwent a lengthy scanning processes with help from the Duderstadt Center, to convert the collection into digitized 3D objects expanding accessibility by allowing the exhibit to be preserved and view-able online.

The Pushke Collection was digitized by the Duderstadt Center using the process of Photogrammetry. In this process, several high fidelity digital photographs are captured 360 degrees around the subject. These photos are analyzed by a computer algorithm to identify matching features on a per-pixel basis between photographs. These identified features are then used to triangulate a position within 3D space, allowing a 3D model of the object to be generated. The color information from the initial photographs is then mapped to the surface of the object in order to achieve a realistic digital replica. Select pieces of the Pushke collection have been further refined to correct imperfections resulting from the capturing process by an artist using digital sculpting and painting software, with the entire digital collection also being optimized for more efficient viewing on the web.

A web viewer was then developed and integrated into the Frankel Center’s WordPress site, to display and allow manipulation of the various pushkes in the collection. The web viewer allows each pushke to be rotated 360 degrees, and for the pushkes to be zoomed in or out, allowing for more detailed viewing than what traditional photographs typically allow.

The result of this effort, the Frankel Center’s online exhibit, “Charity Saves from Death: The Jewish Tradition of Tsedakah as Exemplified in Pushkes” can be viewed here: https://exhibits.judaic.lsa.umich.edu/pushke

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S.C.I Hard Available in App Store

S.C.I Hard Available in App Store

Those with spinal cord injuries (SCI) encounter a drastically different world when they are released from the hospital. With varying degrees of disability, mobility and function, the world around them becomes a collection of physical and mental challenges which is a complete departure from their previous lifestyles. Whether they are in crutches or manual/automatic wheelchairs, they need to learn mobility, scheduling, and social tasks once again.

Players in S.C.I Hard must navigate a chaotic club scene to wrangle escaped tarsier monkeys

S.C.I Hard is a mobile game developed by the Duderstadt Center and designed by Dr. Michelle Meade for the Center for Technology & Independence (TIKTOC RERC) with funding from a NIDRR Field Initiated Development Grant.

Its purpose is to assist persons with spinal cord injury and develop and apply the necessary skills to keep their bodies healthy while managing the many aspects of SCI care, serving as a fun and engaging manual for individuals with spinal cord injuries learning independence. Tasks such as scheduling, mobility, and social interaction are all integrated subtly into the game. Players engage in goofy quests, from befriending roid-raging girlscouts in the park to collecting tarsier monkeys running rampant at a night club. The goal of S.C.I Hard was to be different from most medically oriented games, so players don’t feel like they’re being lectured or bombarded with  boring medical jargon, and instead learn the important concepts of their condition in a more light-hearted and engaging way.

Players shop for a handicap accessible vehicle to take their road test as they learn independence

With more than 30 different scenarios and mini-games, a full cast of odd characters to talk with, and dozens of collectible items and weapons only you can save the town from impending doom. SCI-Hard puts you, the player, in the chair of someone with a Spinal Cord Injury. Introducing you to new challenges and obstacles all while trying to save the world from legions of mutated animals. Join the fight and kick a** while sitting down!

S.C.I Hard is now available for free on Apple and Android devices through the app store, but will require participation in the subsequent study or feedback group to play:

Apple Devices: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sci-hard/id1050205395?mt=8

Android Devices: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=edu.umich.mobile.SciHard&hl=en

To learn more about the subsequent study or to participate in the study involving S.C.I Hard, visit:
http://cthi.medicine.umich.edu/projects/tiktoc-rerc/projects/r2