Week 4 - Input & Output

This week, Professor Rubin discussed the ways in which we input data into a computer and the ways in which we receive data from the machine.  The topics of input and output are fundamental to the basics of computing.  The concept of voice recognition was most intriguing to me, and I hope to integrate this technology within the SSMS (Shaw Shower Management System).

The primary interface of the SSMS will be the online portal, where residents can sign-up for their shower time.  In addition to the text-based web portal, I hope to offer a voice recognition feature that allows residents to talk to the system.  The webpage’s header might read: “You are welcome to reserve your shower time with the text-based system below, or you can interact with the SSMS orally.  To use the voice recognition feature, turn up your speakers, enable your microphone, and click here.”

After clicking on the hyperlink to enable the voice recognition function of the portal, residents could speak to the system and receive audio feedback about their requests.  For example, a user could state, “Bathroom Number One at eleven o’clock a.m.”  The system might reply, “Your time has been reserved.  Please proceed to Bathroom Number One at eleven o’clock this morning.  Remember to bring your Syracuse University ID Card!”  Although it would require some development, a voice recognition feature might make our system more convenient for endusers.

Personally, I think voice recognition is one of tomorrow’s up-and-coming technologies.  Although few users currently take advantage of voice recognition, the power of this concept is remarkable.  Someday, computers could be almost entirely voice-activated.  This might mean that you could start your computer, open a web browser, conduct a Google search and have the results read to you orally.  If this technology advances in the way I hope it will, your computer will “learn” your voice and accurately recognize your patterns of inflection and pronunciation.

I am enjoying each lecture in our IST 195 class, and look forward to hearing about other ways I could improve upon this entrepreneurial idea.

Week 3 - Hardware

The SSMS (Shaw Shower Management System) is an innovative, entrepreneurial idea that will hopefully improve the morning for residents of Shaw Hall at Syracuse University.  However, the idea is simply not practical without the effective use of technology and computer hardware!

This week, Professor Rubin lectured on the importance of computer hardware.  His discussion detailed the components that make up a computer, from the RAM and hard drive to the USB ports and Ethernet card.  The SSMS will require at least two different types of computers to function effectively.  A web server will be utilized to host the online interface.  When investigating web server options, I will look for a machine that has an advanced processor for the fast handling of data requests.  I will also need to make sure the server has enough memory to process requests from clients efficiently and smoothly.  A state-of-the-art NIC card will also be necessary; as my users will need the fastest download and upload times.

In the bathroom, I plan to implement a computer terminal of a different kind.  This computer is not intended to be a traditional workstation.  Instead, this 'kiosk' will be a station for users to swipe their Syracuse University ID Card.  My vision includes a card reader and a flat-panel monitor.  The computer screen could feature information about the SSMS and interesting facts about shower usage at Syracuse University.  After a user swipes their SU ID Card, the display could show a message with feedback - something like, "Thank you for using the SSMS!  Please enter the stall and enjoy your shower now" or, "Please slide your card again".

The kiosk installed in the bathroom will have different requirements than the server.  This terminal's processor and RAM are less important, as the only task this machine will handle is scanning ID Cards.  I could save money by purchasing a PC with a less expensive processor and limited memory.  Once installed, the kiosk will serve as an information center and be updated remotely.

Computer hardware is central to any technology-based solution.  Careful consideration is necessary to be sure you install components that are appropriate for your intended purpose.

Week 2 - Spreadsheets

All week, I have been pondering how various technologies can improve the SSMS (Shaw Shower Management System).  Technology is a cornerstone to this idea.  Residents will access an interactive website to sign-up for their shower time and swipe their ID Card through an electronic reader to turn on the water.  Another section of the online portal might allow residents to post their feedback on the system, so the project's developers can receive comments directly from their users.

On Wednesday, Professor Rubin lectured on the use of Microsoft Excel and the power of data that is organized in a spreadsheet.  Professor Rubin explained that in today's world, it is critical for information professionals (and any other professional, for that matter!) to master the use of Excel.  Data is important, but valuable only when it is presented in a form that others can easily understand.

There are many ways in which an organized spreadsheet could benefit users and developers involved with the SSMS.  We could collect data about the number of residents using the SSMS, the number of showers taken each day, the length of each shower (in minutes), the most 'popular' shower times and the water temperature of each shower.  This data could be inputted into an Excel spreadsheet and organized into various charts and tables.  Then, the most relevant statistics could be exported and posted on the interactive website.  This would allow Shaw Residents to easily see data about their bathroom.  Access to organized data will be especially useful to our research department, as they will be interested in analyzing shower usage and system traffic.  Finally, data on water temperature could be a great reference for Syracuse University's Capital Improvement Plan.  By implementing a more environmentally and energy conscious solution, we might be able to reduce the wear and tear on Shaw Hall's ancient boilers.

The power of organized data should not be underestimated.  Spreadsheets and charts will undoubtedly play a vital role in the deployment and implementation of the SSMS.

Week 1 - Social Media

Each morning, residents of Robert Shaw Hall at Syracuse University encounter a frustrating and time-consuming problem.  As each college freshman struggles out of bed and wanders down the hall to take a shower before class, he is thwarted.  He opens the bathroom door and is immediately confronted with a line of (at least!) three others waiting for a shower to become available.  These daily delays often result in lost class time, missing breakfast, poor dental hygiene and general grouchiness.  What is the solution?  Read on.

As part of the Entrepreneurship Project for my IST 195 class, I will blog about a new, innovative and dynamic system that will reinvent the morning for Shaw Hall residents.  I am excited to announce the SSMS: Shaw Shower Management System.  The SSMS will feature a web interface that allows residents to 'reserve' a place in the shower queue.  Now, residents will never waste their time waiting in line!  The system will display a countdown until the shower stall is available, allowing each resident to put every minute of their morning to good use.  Shower times will be limited to twenty minutes per person, per morning.  Residents using the SSMS will swipe their Syracuse University ID Card to turn on the water.

Professor Rubin lectured on Social Media this past Wednesday.  He explained to our class that users spend more time on social networks than on any other website.  I am excited to harness the power of social media to leverage my idea.  I will use Facebook and Twitter to introduce the idea to my peers in Shaw Hall.  Using Facebook and Twitter, I can gather feedback about the idea and recruit friends to serve as beta testers.  I will spread the word about the SSMS and promote it through social media.  I think using social media to publicize my idea will be more effective than creating paper flyers, as teenagers in today's world spend a significant amount of time on the Internet.

Check back next week for more details about the SSMS!