Assignment+2+Project+Ideas

__**PROJECT IDEAS**__
Brief description: iPhone application that acts as a universal remote for devices such as TVs, stereos, DVD players, etc.
 * IDEA 1**

Types of users and their goals: Must have an iPhone. Designed for people who are frustrated with having numerous remotes and/or losing them (broad target audience)

Similar system in place?: There are already iPhone apps that act as universal remotes. Maybe they can be improved upon?

Brief description: iPhone or computer application that tracks a household's ecological footprint. Will monitor the household usage of electricity, hydro, etc. Suggests ways in which to reduce the user's ecological footprint.
 * IDEA 2**

Types of users and their goals: Users who are environmentally-conscious and/or who are looking to save money. Their goals are to reduce their ecological footprint and save money.

Similar system in place?: No.

Idea 3

Brief Description: An iPhone application which will display the ingredient list from cosmetics or food products from a picture the user takes of the barcode from the product. If there are chemical names within the list it will show a diagram of the chemical structure and text stating if it is either man made or natural, how the product makes use of it (ex. Preservative), and if there are any health risks associated with consumption of the chemical.

Types of users and their goals: The application will be targeted towards the general public. The present increase in research and media coverage regarding food and cosmetic ingredients has many people concerned about what they are consuming. People are often concerned if there make-up contains harmful chemicals such as lead and if there food consists of harmful chemicals such as Acesulfame K.

Similar systems in place: There are similar iPhone applications such as FoodEssentials Scanner and Vegetarian Scanner, which read bar codes from food products and give information about their content. FoodEssentials Scanner states what is in food by stating the nutritional information, ingredient list, and food additives that may cause allergic reactions. It does not go into depth about the chemical compounds in the food that Idea 3 will. Also, Vegetarian Scanner scans the names in the ingredients and indicates if they are from an animal, chemical, or plant. It does not explore the chemical properties of the ingredients or state effects as seen in the concept for Idea 3.

Idea 4

Brief Description: A display triggered through heat sensing that can alert the driver of cars that are approaching his or her blind spot. A signal similar to the one used when a car door is open will light up in the lower left and lower right sections of the car picture.

Types of Users and their Goals: Drivers of all vehicles, especially those who may be unable to properly do head checks while changing lanes or making turns. The goal is to improve the safety of all drivers and the passengers inside the vehicles.

Similar systems in Place?: Heat sensing has been recently featured as a potential new add-on for new cars, but they are currently geared to track pedestrians.

An electronically operated payment card similar to this [|one], where one can pay fares on the subway, streetcar or buses simply by tapping this card onto the scanner machine and deducting the rate charged for the designated transportation. Individuals can first put in a certain amount of money onto the card when they first buy it, and when the amount has been completely deducted, they can easily go to any large chain grocery, pharmaceutical or convenience store to increase the limit on their cards. They can also increase the limit at subway stations or bus terminals. These stores include Shoppers Drugmart, Walmart, Metro, No Frills, etc. This card will make it much easier for individuals who are heavy users of public transportation, instead of having to imput change everytime, one can just easily tap this card onto the scanning machine. Moreover, with further development, people can also start using these cards for buying groceries and necessities at the designated retail stores mentioned above, or even at fast food chains such as Tim Hortons. This card is currently widely used in various cities in Asia, including Hong Kong (where it is called the Octopus card), Beijing, Shanghai, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, etc. If this card does already exist and is being used in Toronto, possible improvements can be made or one can add more places where the card can be used, making it more convenient for everyone.
 * Idea 5:**

DARYA


 * IDEA 6**

Smart phone app or a separate device that recognizes speech and immediately translates it into the user’s language. For example, if a Canadian citizen goes on vacation to Spain, he or she can use this app to have conversations with the locals. The device will immediately recognize speech, and write a full sentence in English within seconds. This software could be built into, say, sunglasses, and the translation could be viewed as a video. Users: Especially great for business travellers, who have to go to foreign countries very often. Also eliminates the need of having a human translator.

Similar system in place? Yes, there is a very similar device. There is a Universal Translator Device UT-103, but it is available in only 4 languages (English, German, Spanish, French) and it is not very portable. It would be much more efficient if an app could be downloaded onto an iPhone, for example, and you could get your results instantly.

GENA

IDEA 7

Brief description: Digitized version of a workbook for teachers and students

Types of users and their goals: The device is meant for younger students to use for class activities that are work oriented and supervised by the teacher. Teachers can track students progress on their own digital book but it will also allow them to view students' real time activity (ie writing, drawing, reading) on their digital books. It will also allow teachers and parents to converse.

Similar system in place: Many wifi devices allow for collaborative work (ie laptops, tablets). However, this will be a product with software/programs specifically designed for a classroom environment so that students are not distracted with other applications or programs. In which case, teachers can see what students are doing in class.

IDEA 8

Brief description: Vending machines for RFID cards that allow hostel users to check in and out of a room without having to talk to administration. Buy a room for a night and receive a RFID card to get into a room and return it into the machine when checking out.

Types of users and their goals: Travelers who are hoping to find last minute booking for spaces at a hostel, enabling them to check in at any time.

Similar system in place: 'Love hotels' in Japan allow visitors to check in anonymously on their own for privacy reasons.



IDEA 9

A fridge that has a built-in camera and sensors so that it can tell you what products you are running our of when going grocery shopping. Especially good for people who live alone and have nobody to call to find out what they need to grab at the grocery store. There are no similar systems in place.