Software

The Spectral Game: leveraging Open Data and crowdsourcing for education

Jean-Claude Bradley¹ , Robert J Lancashire² , Andrew SID Lang³ and Antony J Williams⁴

¹  Drexel University, Department of Chemistry, 32nd and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA

²  Department of Chemistry, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston 7, Jamaica

³  Oral Roberts University, Department of Computer Science and Mathematics, 7777 S. Lewis Ave, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74171, USA

⁴  ChemZoo Inc, 904 Tamaras Circle, Wake Forest, North Carolina 27587, USA

author email corresponding author email

Journal of Cheminformatics 2009, 1:9doi:10.1186/1758-2946-1-9

Published:	26 June 2009

Abstract

We report on the implementation of the Spectral Game, a web-based game where players try to match molecules to various forms of interactive spectra including 1D/2D NMR, Mass Spectrometry and Infrared spectra. Each correct selection earns the player one point and play continues until the player supplies an incorrect answer. The game is usually played using a web browser interface, although a version has been developed in the virtual 3D environment of Second Life. Spectra uploaded as Open Data to ChemSpider in JCAMP-DX format are used for the problem sets together with structures extracted from the website. The spectra are displayed using JSpecView, an Open Source spectrum viewing applet which affords zooming and integration. The application of the game to the teaching of proton NMR spectroscopy in an undergraduate organic chemistry class and a 2D Spectrum Viewer are also presented.