November 27, 2008
People 13
Thursday, 27 November 2008
People 13
Final Report
My response to this project was to develop a product that could help people. I thought of a device that could help people find there grocery’s in supermarkets.my device is perfectly suited for family’s and people who are looking to find food easily in stores.I hope my device will be small practical and easy to use.
My first priority was to look at ways this could be done and the technology behind them. To do this I
looked at RFID a form of data tracking which is used in most stores to help find products, keep stock and organise them. It reads barcodes but it can read them while the items are moving. It is similar to other forms of tracking like Wifi, found in stores, Internet cafes’s and some phone box’s in major city’s.
Bluetooth is also something I thought of using as it’s a device that transfers data in a short range, which in a store full of products all within close range I believed this would be use full. I also looked at barcodes and how they work in stores read by RFID but are also read by USB scanners.
so even after looking at these major forms of data trasference I discovered that my device would be better as a application they are found in I-phones and mobile devices. They are easy to download and are easily available online. The program works by using the application software to use RFID to lock on to the location of the item and directs the customer to the item in question.
The user must first turn on the device enter the items into the application and then go to the store. The RFID scans the items and transfers the data back into the device. It also helps the user by telling them how far the items are and also alternatives if the customer cannot find or wants a cheaper option. I feel companies may want to purchase this device like Tesco or ASDA because it will speed up shopping for customers make things less stressfull and suggestive sale for the users which will increase profit for the company’s. However if it is a child or old age pensioner it will not do suggestive sale as this this is taking advantage of there age.
I made some sketches of the device and what it will look like on my device and how it functions and works. I thought perhaps this way it would be easy to show how the product works and how the user can manage it. More importantly demonstrates how simple the item is to use in a crowded store. As the application is found in mobile phones it will be light weight and easily moved around. Easily accessible and its destined that way so it will be comfortable for any user. But also because they will be expert users of a phone and novice users of the device it will also be simple to learn how to use and access.
I looked at the Christene Faulkners Theories of computer interaction found that applications, software and programs and found that her theories help me develop what my device should or should not do. They should be easy to function and should give sufficient feedback and they should have not have too many options to confuse the user.they should also give help the user and that no special training will be necessary. This can be found in the book called The essence of human computer interaction where she has many theories on how applications and software should work.
I found after the application “Tasty tracker Mk 1” was completed I was satisfied how the software would work and how the application on mobile phones would work. I feel that this idea will benefit shoppers and family’s alike and that it will enrich the shopping experience.
November 25, 2008
People 12
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
People 12
According to the book written by Christine Faulkner, The essence of human computer interaction my application should apply to users who are experts of phones. Yet they will be a novice user with the application.
In theory her book suggests that my device should be easy to understand as “all initiatives should come from the computer” which means that my application should require information within it so at any time the users will be able to use the device. However i do not want to overcomplicated the device with over the top information and keys that will confuse the user. As stated with her book “All inputs should be brief” this should allow the user to move around the application more freely.
They should also be “consistent with the user expectation” which means that all the input in my device should work as expected and respond as required for my user.
“no special training should be necessary” my application should not require any one to be skilled to use it and should be as easy as opening a closed door. Yet with the device “all system messages should be clear and nonvocal” so the user does not have to read manuals all the time.
According to Christine Faulkner however their should be only a small set of options that the user can choose from so they do not get frustrated with so many options.
But also the user “should control the pace of interaction” so that its not to fast or too slow to use then like a automatic pacer.
Its clear to me also that thier should be that “user desition making should be in responce to a specific request for outcome” so that they expect what will happen insted of complications.
Also thier should be “help available” and “sufficiant feedback” to help and assist he user but also the is enough infortion so that user knows that he/she knows what they have done is correct.
These theories from Christene Faulkner are to show what a device is supposed to achieve and provide for its users and i feel with this information this should improve my device.
People 11
People 11
The layout of my appication would be somthing like this (figure A) shows drawings of what the application will look like. (Figure B) is the actual device in the phone. The device has the ability to track items in a shop using RFID.
November 19, 2008
People 10-2
Monday, 19 November 2008
People 10-2
Above (figure a) is a simple diagram that shows how the product works. There are too processes to this design the long process with needing food is to go to the store and find it yourself. The short process is to use the item locator called “tasty tracker”. This will help find items in less to no time at all.
People 10
People 10
Looking into my product device i have made a few drawings and diagrams to show what my product would look like. I also looked at some other simular applications already in place now.
This is what the prototype looks like in a diagam. Here we can see me in my kitchen with obviously nothing to eat. I then add a list of things i need into the application. After adding the list to my mobile phone applictaion i then proceeded to Marks and Spencers where my shopping could be found. I then looked at the information on my device and pointed the device in the direction of the products. It read the nearest item on my list and led me to its location then i checked of the item and it led me to my next item.
My device uses RFID and bluetooth in order to find all of the products on the list and helps guide me to its location.
Below is a sample diagram of what my device does and how it works apon usage.
November 13, 2008
People 9
Thursday, 13 November 2008
People 9
The more I began to look into it I found that my item finder would proberly work better as a application, a software found in most products Applications are software which can used by the user to enable them to preform various tasks. Its typically found as word processors and media players but can be found in packages which are sold in a large files.
Many people can make user written software that is a tailor made program made only for the user’s spesific needs. These can be anything from Macros to animation scripts.
Embedded software are software applications that are found in microwaves and dvd players these applications that are added during manifacuring.
There are various different software types that are available enterprize software, content access software, media development software.
October 27, 2008
People 8
Monday, 27 October 2008
people 8
Wifi is another form of data transference that is found mainly in consoles, laptops, printers and other things. Its main function is used in electronics to help access the internet on the go, it helps access files and audio but only in homes and offices. There are however places that can offer free wifi such as Mc Donalds which the public can freely access at any time.
Wifi works by using “hotspots” these are foundin varoius interconnected accesss points often these are found in homes but in large citys these can be found in telephone boxes, streets and shops. Most WIFI is available free of charge in most area’s it allows users to communicate with each other on the internet or in gaming using wireless ad-hoc network.
Wifi is often found in airports and buisnesses to attract customers where they can use devices such as mobile phones, digital camaras and laptops can all access it. Using local area networks it allows users to connect online without the use of cables. It has a range of 32m area span and its used in shops for checking inventory.If it is used in shops then this could be usefull in later developement in my product developement which can be used in the location of finding objects.
October 21, 2008
People 7
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
People 7
One form of data transference is Radio-frequency identification also known as RFID. It is a method that can basically be described as a electronic barcode. able to withstand the harshest of environments it was able to track products and items that could be used in places such as dig sites and industrial places. This works in two parts the first is known as a integrated circuit . This stores and processes information and the seconds is just a antenna which transmit’s the signal.
Besides barcodes RFID tags can do things that barcodes cannot such read book covers and can read things whilst moving. This was supposed to improve customer and staff productivity and has done so tremendously in shops all over the country such as ASDA.
It was originally made for the soviet union as a espionage tool however its design even though made a efficient device for transmitting radio waves it could identify things. However the technology it provided was used to identify Plaines in world war two known as the IFF transponder but was later remade by Charles Walton which has since been used in shops and other places to locate objects.
October 15, 2008
People 6
people 6
October 14, 2008
People 5
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
people 5
In order to build my device I have had to look into how supermarket check stocks. Originally I believed this was only lists of products that was kept on lists but apparently three was more to it then I thought . Barcodes are the most common way of checking stock yet I knew not what barcodes did. After some research on Wikipedia I found that barcodes is a optical machine which is a readable representation of data which is data in lines. The history of barcodes began when student Bernard silver of Drexel institute of technology, Philadelphia worked on a variety of systems from optical soundtracks to Morse code. His patent idea led to the “classifying apparatus and method”. it was from this concept that led to the universal product code which in 1966 was to be used as automated checkout systems. Using the bar codes and a standardised 11-didgit checkout code they made a system to print and read the code. This was developed by IBM and many others. The IBM UPC became standard in supermarkets and it stayed legible even in moist and damp conditions. The most used scanner was a fixed light and single photosencer which comes in three types used today. These are the RS-232 barcode scanner, the second is PS/2 or AT. And the third is the USB scanner. Now that I know about the industry I went to look at other forms of data transference.
