risknfun's blog

Why we changed our project?

We had two ideas for mid term project: mood indicator, space-to-sound converter. However, in the case of the mood indicator, refering to Tom's comments, people usually don't realize the moment of mood changing so that it's quite hard to put our input into the indicator. In the case of space-to-sound converter, we decided that it maybe too hard task for us.

Therefor, we concentrated on when we change the desire to outside. Result is "May I have your attention please!" Lamp for restaurent.

Process

Since our team tried to share our experience and strength, we basically did what we were not used to: Rona did programming for arduino, Gian Pablo wood work, me also wood work and configuring hardware. It worked well at the first time, but there was a bottle neck on programming for making fast prototype, I finished the programming part. I think sharing the strength is a very good idea but assigning unfamiliar tasks to members is not.

After making prototype

Rona, Gian Pablo and I have been to Cosi restaurant to perform field test of our "Lamp for restaurant." Thankfully, Rob also participated and gave some comments for us. Before leaving for there, we tested and took some pictures in the lab.

CHECK requesting

CHECK canceling

CHECK cancelled

ORDER requesting

Order request

Demo Video

Prototype test!

You can also see other members experience and thought: Rona, Gian Pablo

Problem & Next step

1. IR sensor we used is very sensitive to handle. It was easily influenced by lighting environment. We may solve it in code part such as setting a initial value of lighting automatically.

2. Why didn't we use just simple button switches? - I think this is the most important and fundamental question for our project. I have unsatisfied answers. At the first stage, we thought about other gestures: draw square for check request, grasp and raise glass for water request so that usual behaviors in restaurant become signals.

3. How about to apply this idea to coaches of airplane? A normal scenario maybe like this.

case A:
Passenger: (just wait the crew passing)
Passenger: Could you give me a water? / Water please?
Crew: Yes, sir. / Wait a moment.
(couple of seconds)
Crew: Here-

case B:
Passenger: (press ATTENTION button)
Passenger: (wait couple of seconds)
Passenger: Could you give me a water? / Water please?
Crew: Yes, sir. / Wait a moment.
(couple of seconds)
Crew: Here-, (press ATTENTION-cancel button)

new scenario A:
Passenger: (while press button, to the microphone) Water please-
(couple of seconds)
Crew: Here-

new scenario B:
Passenger: (press water button)
(couple of seconds)
Crew: Here-

I think this way has several advantages.
- reduce service time
- remove unnecessary conversation
- solve language problem (if we use graphical panel)
- make less crowded aisle