Quaker Valley Hamster World
An Android virtual pet game and LAN server built for special education classrooms, where students care for animated hamsters as a tool for learning independence and self-regulation.
Downloads
- Android Controller APK — Install on student devices
- Hamster World Server EXE — Run on the classroom PC/display
- Unity Source Code — Full C# project
Overview
The Quaker Valley Hamster World project was a partnership between Quaker Valley School District, Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center (CMU ETC), and the Allegheny Intermediate Unit 3 Center for Creativity. The goal was to leverage emerging technology to better support learners with exceptionalities — specifically around independence and self-regulation in the classroom.
The core challenge: special education students often rely on verbal or physical prompts from their teachers to complete tasks, making it difficult to achieve true independence. Students with special needs also struggle with self-regulation, becoming frustrated or upset in ways that require significant teacher intervention.
The solution: a charming Android virtual pet game paired with a Windows LAN server, where students could care for animated hamster characters as a scaffolded activity — helping them practice sequential task completion, focus, and emotional regulation in an engaging, low-stakes environment.
My Role
I served as CEO of Choitek and Lead Software Developer of the Hamster World project. I designed and built the full software stack:
- Android Client App — a controller application allowing students to interact with their hamster on classroom smartphones/tablets
- Windows LAN Server — a shared server app where all hamsters live in a physics-enabled sandbox world, viewable on a classroom display
- Unity 2017 C# Codebase — open-source under CC-BY-SA 4.0
Key Features
- Multiplayer virtual pet game over school LAN — all classroom devices connect to one shared world
- Physics-enabled sandbox with bouncing, running, and interactive hamster behaviors
- Android smartwatch integration for sensor-based input
- Multiple themed hamster habitats (Apollo, Biblio, Bolete, Bonbon, Forest, Noelle, Soccer)
- Designed for accessibility and ease of use for students with special needs
- Open-source Unity 2017.1 C# project (CC-BY-SA 4.0)
Partner Organizations
Carnegie Mellon University Entertainment Technology Center — The ETC is a premier professional graduate program for interactive entertainment, exploring transformational games, innovation by design, and interactive storytelling through interdisciplinary, design-based research projects.
Allegheny Intermediate Unit 3 Center for Creativity — An initiative of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit that provides educators with instructional resources, grant opportunities, and professional development integrating STEAM, creativity, and innovation into teaching and learning.
Quaker Valley School District — A school district in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, serving the Boroughs of Sewickley, Leetsdale, Edgeworth, and surrounding townships.
Credits
- Dr. Sally Hoover — Director of Pupil Services at Quaker Valley School District, Project Leader
- Jason Harrison — Life Skills Support and Special Education Teacher at Quaker Valley Middle School
- John Balash — Director of Educational Engagement at CMU Entertainment Technology Center
- John Choi — CEO of Choitek, Lead Software Developer
Gallery
