The document proposes developing a camera simulator activity for the GCompris educational software. The activity would educate children about camera components, photography concepts, and taking virtual photos. It would include modules to explain camera parts and terms, play games to test knowledge of parts, and simulate taking photos by adjusting settings and viewing photos taken. The proposal outlines milestones for completion over 6 months, with an interim submission of two initial activities after 3 months for mid-term evaluation. The proposer believes their background in photography, open source, and programming qualifies them to create this educational activity.

1. Camsim
Lavanya Gunasekaran
Short Description
Creating Camera simulator activity for Gcompris that would infotain children with explaining the
components of camera, concepts of photography, assembling the parts, test their knowledge and
play with their favourite photograph.
Ultimate goal of the proposal
To develop camera simulator activity to educate, entertain and enhance creative personality of
children through Gcompris .
Components or modules it will touch upon
Camsim
Explain Play with parts
Explain terms Simulation
Components (Activities/Games)
1)view Finder
2)Focus
Mechanisms
1)Asking to find the Let the children to
3)Shutter Providing various parts (images) take picture and
4)Aperture parts(images) of simulate the
2)True or False Focus,Frame, Shoot
camera and ask the rendering given the
5)Lens kids to assemble questions on parts children’s virtual
6)Body and its features camera
7)ISO
8)Timer

2. Explain Terms
Explaining the kids about the terms behind photography so that they can learn to
take good photographs.
1) Focus
It can be explained by fixing lens image in middle, object at one end and allow
the kids to move the camera (image) front and back at other end. And hence we can
explain them that in order to keep the image of a close objects sharp, the lens must
be moved relative to the screen (or camera sensor). This process is called focusing.
Likewise the following terms can also be explained to kids using activities.
2) Lighting techniques
 Outdoor Lighting
 Existing Light(sun)
 Fluorescent Light
3) Contrast
 Tonal Contrast
 Color Contrast
4) Optics
Explanation about lenses (normal, wide-angle, long focus) and the radiation
of light comes under this activity.
5) Rule of Thirds
The “Rule of Thirds” one of the first things that budding digital
photographers learn about in classes on photography and rightly so as it is the basis
for well balanced and interesting shots. http://digital-photography-school.com/rule-
of-thirds
6 ) Camera Orientation Modes
 Portrait
 Landscape

3. Explain Components
Information about the camera, say its types (pinhole/SLR/DSLR) and features.
Brief explanation about the various parts like aperture, shutter, ISO, lens cover and
the role played by them in camera using Screen read and Audio Explanation.
For example, Explaining Aperture as “it is a hole or an opening through
which light travels” using few pictures (as slideshow) and with audio explanation.
Play with parts
Activity to test the knowledge of kids on the parts (images) of the camera.
Can be tested using
 True or False questions
 Providing name of camera parts and asking them to choose between the
images.
 Identifying the camera part using the image.

4. Simulation
 Switching between virtual Images
 Having few background images (say 4 to 5 images of sceneries, toys,
animals, etc.) and allowing kids to choose between those images and using
it as object for taking pictures using camera.
 Focus,Frame,shoot
 Adjusting focal length, optical zoom, lighting, shutter speed.
 The image is to be captured is blended according to the adjustments done
by kids on focal length, Zoom etc.
 Image can be blended using the Image Enhance Modules in PIL (python
Image Library).

5.  viewing previous images
 Allows kids to take sequence of pictures and save it as album.
 To watch photos taken previously as slideshow.
 Images will be stored in sqlite3 database and fetched and previewed as
slideshow.
What benefits does it have for GNOME and its community?
Going by the KISS principle, this simple application is about making users, children and adults alike
understand the components and working of a digital camera. As a photography enthusiast, this
would be my humble contribution so users would learn and have fun.
Why you’d like to complete this project?
My passion for photography and FOSS has finally met with this project. Through this I would like to
kick start the inquisitive nature of children as well as imparting my knowledge about photography
and camera.
How do you plan to achieve completion of your project?
Milestone 1: April 24 - May 20 (Community Bonding Period)
Discussing the activity ideas with the mentor.
Final list of activities to be implemented under GCompris Camsim
Study documentation on PyGoocanvas, PyGTK, and Python GCompris API. Setting up
the development environment.
Study the overview of game sequence & interaction between GCompris core &
activity plugin.
Getting familiar with writing a GCompris activity using the code snippets of python
test & python template activities.
Assembling skins, sounds, and content.
Milestone 2: May 21- July 9 (Interim Period)
Start Coding! Designing the UI for the activities
Building up algorithms for these two activities. Code integration of activity plugin
with the UI. task
Milestone 3: Mid Term Evaluation
Submit two activities camera simulator and camera explainer along with
documentation.

6. Milestone 4: July 14 - August 12(Interim period)
Designing UI for Art camera activity with the UI Document
Work, Debug, and reduce code complexity.
Milestone 5: August13-August20 (Pencils down)
Testing, documentation & debugging
Final Release.
What will show able at mid-term [1]?
Submit two activities camera simulator and camera explainer along with documentation.
Why are you the right person to work on this project?
About Me
I am Lavanya Gunasekaran, pursuing first year post-graduation in Anna University, Chennai, India. I
consider myself fortunate to have come from rural background to have made to one of the premier
technology institutions in India. In a way I have had the opportunity to see the best of both worlds. I
enjoyed the interactions with laidback lifestyle and serene landscape of my native town and the
bustling, technological hub of South India, Chennai. Naturally these contrasting settings have stroked
my interest in photography and I try to capture those moments where ever I come across.
I have been FOSS enthusiast for more than a year now. The first thing that came in my mind when I
learnt about FOSS was its potential in changing the technological landscape and thus the quality and
standard of life throughout India. It is my conviction to contribute and promote my ideas, passion,
and hobby through FOSS. This project is one of my many steps towards that goal.
I am well versed in python, C, C++ and Java languages. I have worked with MYSQL, SQLITE,
INGRESQL, POSTGRESQL and have coded few flash games.
I have also worked as campus ambassador for www.twenty19.com (website for student
opportunities) and www.knowafest.com (website for campus fest)
I developed leadership abilities by taking up responsibility as Event Coordinator for my department
festival (OLAP). Qualities that I developed over years have given me patience, perseverance, and
confidence which I can effectively implement for this project and beyond.
Github:https://github.com/laya
IRC: lavaa at freenode
Email: lavanyagunasekar@gmail.com
Twitter: @lava_g
Website: http://lava.co.nr

7. What are your past experiences with the open source world as a user
and as a contributor?
Attended Chennai WikiMedia Hackathon and developed scrap for Wiki-Content-
Downloader
Developed a project for IRIS RECOGNITION using Java and got Best project award of the year
from my college.
Active member in developing website (using PHP) of my college.
Please include a link to the bug you fixed for the GNOME module your
proposal is related to.
Bug 665258 – resolved the problem that GCompris crashes if the database is Read Only using the
following patch
For any clarifications please feel free to contact me.Thanks for spending your precious time and
reading my proposal.