EPICS – Team UPRC
Design Review Presentation
Spring 2007
Vince Ruppert, Eric Buysse, Emeka
Okorafor, Melissa Dunn, Shuang Wu,
Jeffrey Lai, Stephanie Semmel,
Rachael Smith, Kendall McEwan
University Place Retirement Community
University Place TV
Project Leader: Eric Buysse
Team Members: Shuang Wu, Vince Ruppert
Overview
What is it?
• UPTV is a closed-circuit TV network system that
broadcasts power-point slideshows on channel 18 at
UPRC
Purpose of the project
• To make a cost effective system to replace a rental
system (VCTV)
Progress at UPRC
• In January 2007, UPTV replaced the previous VCTV
system
Semester Progress
• Reviewed and updated specifications
documents
• Completed the assembly of the
Development System
• Made sure stable hardware, software, and
procedures are in place
Development System
• Used to test the UPTV system
• Located at Smitty’s lab
• Equipment List:
– Computer with monitor
– TV with VCR
– VCR
– AVerKey iMirco Scan Converter
– Assortment of cables/connectors
Multiplexer Design
• Audio and video multiplexers will be
combined into one unit
Database Project
Vince Ruppert
Database Project - Beginnings
• UPTV originally envisioned as an online
application
• Paperwork issues at UPRC
• Flyer scheduling
• Solution: Database
Database Project – Last Semester
• Could add, edit, and delete flyers
– 5 fixed fields and a fixed picture
• UPTV “PowerPoint-like” slideshow
– Flyers scheduled for 7 days
• Calendar generator
• Password system
• Overall: not very flexible
Database Project – New direction
• Over Christmas break, VCTV (the leased TV
system) was replaced by the UPTV system.
• Slides now ran from the UPTV computer via
PowerPoint.
• Focus of database project moved from creating
a system from scratch to replace VCTV, to a
system improving upon the shortcomings of the
current UPTV PowerPoint solution.
Database Project – This semester
• Flash UI – new interface for designing
flyers
• Can now schedule a flyer 5 different ways
– Start date to End date, weekly, monthly by
day, monthly by date, yearly
• Search flyers
• “editflyer.php” now one large file split up
into 3 sections
Database Project – Flash UI
• What is it?
– Macromedia (Adobe) Flash application
developed for designing flyers.
– Created to act as a scaled-down PowerPoint
clone.
• What can it do?
– Create textboxes, move textboxes, change
text size, change text color, insert pictures.
Database Project – Flash UI
• How was it created?
– A lot of ActionScript code. The textboxes for
instance are created using only code.
– Code was designed to be modular. Split up a
lot of tasks into smaller functions.
(createTextBox, updateImages, hideArrows,
etc)
Flash User Interface
Database Project – Scheduling
• Start Date to End Date
– April 1st to April 3rd
• Weekly
– Every Thursday
• Monthly (by day of the week)
– Every last Sunday of the month, Every third
Monday of the month
• Monthly (by date)
– Every 14th of every month, the 1st of every month
• Yearly
– Every October 13th
Database Project - Scheduling
• How is it done?
– Start Date to End Date is simply stored into
the database as two fields (timestamp).
– The reoccurring options are handled
differently. Only one field is used to store
the remaining 4 options as a string.
– Examples:
• “weekly 5 Tuesday” = Display flyer from each
Tuesday to 5 days before each Tuesday.
• “monthlyday 2 Sunday second” = Display flyer
from the second Sunday of each month to 2
days before that.
Database Project - Scheduling
• How does the user schedule a flyer?
Data flow between files
• Most files are all “included” inside the main
control file, “main.php”, depending on what the
variable “action” is set to. It acts sort of like a
state machine. The file is mostly one large
“switch” statement, which makes it easy to add
new functionality.
• Only the calendar, the UPTV slideshow, and the
Flash UI (to an extent) do not depend on the
main control file.
Data flow in Flash UI
load_flyerdata.php
main.php
editflyer.php
load_pictures.php
Flash UI
Database
Data flow in the main control
file
Database
upload_picture.php
seeflyer.php
editflyer.php
uptv_template.php
submitflyer.php
search.php
delete_pictures.php
Data flow inside UPTV slideshow
XML file from
the Internet
weather.php
uptv.php
uptv_template.php
Database
Database Project – Database Structure
Field
• id
• title
• type
• text
• picture
Type
int
varchar
varchar
text
text
• starttimestamp timestamp
• stoptimestamp timestamp
• reoccur
varchar
• creation_date date
• last_modified timestamp
• active
enum
Description
Unique number for each flyer
Title description of flyer
Type of flyer
Textbox information (From Flash UI)
Picture information (From Flash UI)
Start time of flyer (if expiring)
End time of flyer (if expiring)
Reoccurring string (if reoccurring)
Date which flyer was created
Date the flyer was last modified
Is the flyer active or not
Improving Listening
Environments Project
(ILE)
Eric Buysse
Melissa Dunn
Kendall McEwan
Rachael Smith
Team Roles & Responsibilities
• Eric Buysse – rewiring the sound system in the
Great/Education Rooms
• Melissa Dunn – rewiring the sound systems in the
Great/Education Rooms
• Kendall McEwan – researching assistive listening
devices (ALDs) to be used at University Place and also
creating an orientation document for speakers and staff
• Rachael Smith – obtaining noise measurement data in
the main and four seasons dining rooms; reporting
results to residents and giving recommendations to
improve listening conditions
Past Progress – Dining Room
Fall 2006 Semester
• Located and reviewed noise measurement
data collected by Spring 2006 team
• Decided to repeat noise collection to
obtain more accurate results
• Brainstormed ideas for new noise
collection test plan
• Created new test plan for noise collection
Current Progress – Dining Room
• Took noise level measurements in Main &
Four Seasons dining rooms
• Results from this noise data collection
were analyzed
– Noise levels documented in spreadsheet form
– Report put together detailing these results
• Compared new noise data to old data
Current Progress – Dining Room
•
Collection of noise level measurements
–
Results collected based on test plan created last
semester
•
Quest 2800 sound level meter was used
– C-weighting (dBC)
•
•
•
•
•
Measurements taken in 3 locations in Main Dining
Room & 2 locations in Four Seasons Dining Room
Measurements taken during both lunch & dinner
Two sets of measurements taken at each location
Each measurement set taken for 5 minutes
All measurements taken on same day
Current Progress – Dining Room
• Analysis of noise data results
– Documented in spreadsheet & report
• Main dining room:
– Lunch = ~65-68dBC
- Dinner = ~70-72dBC
• Four Seasons dining room:
– Lunch = ~65dBC
- Dinner = ~68-69dBC
– Noise levels results:
• Quieter during lunch in both Main & Four Seasons
• Quieter in Four Seasons during both lunch & dinner
• Quietest in Main near bay window in back of room &
loudest in middle of room
• Approximately the same in both locations in Four
Seasons
Current Progress – Dining Room
• Compared new noise data to old data
– Old data collected with dosimeter vs new data
collected with sound level meter
– Measurements taken at 4 locations in old data
collection vs 5 locations with new collection
• More details given regarding exact locations of
where measurements taken with new data (ie map)
– Can see more details in regards to differences
in levels with new noise data vs old data
The Dining Room:
Finishing the Semester
•
•
•
•
Revisions will be made to noise report based
on feedback received from a professor in our
department
Results of noise collection will be delivered to
University Place (i.e. best listening areas in
dining room)
“Sit Hear” signs will be placed on tables to
designate optimal listening locations
Recommendations will be made for further
improvement of listening conditions in terms of
room design
Education & Great Room Layouts
Past Progress – Sound System
Connection
• Experimented with the current sound
system in the Education Room, and also
the building-wide sound system.
• Discovered that it was realistic to connect
the two sound systems together to create
an improved listening environment.
Past Progress – Sound System
Connection
Current Progress – Sound System
Connection
Current Progress – Sound System
Connection
Current Progress – Sound System
Connection
• Further examined the sound systems in
place to determine where the project stood
and recommendations for connection.
• Not only our own recommendations but also
recommendations from a sound system expert
• Developed a rough draft feasibility
document to present to staff and
administration at UPRC.
• Began to create a survey to distribute to
residents post connection.
Sound System Connection:
Finishing the Semester
• Finalize feasibility document
• Finalize survey
• Complete the connection – based on
recommendations from a sound system
expert
Past Progress: Great/Education
Room
• Spring 2006: problem of listening conditions
during lectures and musical programs was
identified
• Fall 2006: Assistive Listening Devices were
researched; a survey of residents was
conducted to see where problems existed; a
document describing small changes that
speakers/staff at UPRC can make to improve
listening conditions was delivered
Current Progress - Great/Education
Room
• 2 documents were completed by early this
semester:
– Orientation Document
– Memo for Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs)
• Orientation Document: outlined small
steps that speakers and staff could take to
maximize listening conditions
• Memo for ALDs: described research
completed last semester and
recommended a system for UPRC
Current Progress - Great/Education
Room
• Orientation Document was designed to be
printed on a half sheet of gold card stock
• 2 parts: one for hosts/committees/staff,
and one for visitors/speakers to UPRC
• Delivered at the end of last semester,
edited early this semester with staff
suggestions
Current Progress - Great/Education
Room
• Dear Committees, and Staff of UPRC,
It can be very difficult for residents to hear during
presentations in the Education room. It only takes a few
simple steps to help! All you have to do is LISTEN!
– Light up the room; a spotlight on the speaker is ideal.
– Introductions can be used as a listening check – are all mics and
speakers working?
– Stagger the chairs as much as possible, allowing for accessibility.
– Talk to speakers about the difficult listening environment.
– Encourage entries and exits through the side doors rather than
the back doors.
– Noise is the enemy! Keep the back doors to the noisy lobby
closed during presentations.
Current Progress - Great/Education
Room
• Dear Visitors to UPRC,
It can be very difficult for residents to hear during
presentations in the Education room. It only
takes a few simple steps to help! All you have to
do is HEAR!
– Help residents use lip and facial expressions by
facing them throughout your presentation.
– Elevate your voice slightly if comfortable and wear the
microphone clipped to your lapel.
– Always pronounce words clearly.
– Reply to questions after repeating them first.
Great/Education Room
• Assistive Listening Devices Memo delivered during week
six
• Described research and detailed a recommendation for
The Pro Wide Band FM system.
• Recommendation based on the fair warranty period (5
years) and price (at $1060); the inclusion of a new
microphone (of which University Place is in need); simple
set-up; automatically configures to the wireless
microphone.
• System sold by Harris Communications, which is the
preferred distributor of Dr. David Ertmer, professor of
Aural Rehabilitation at Purdue
Computer Coaching Project
(CC)
Emeka Okorafor
Jeffrey Lai
Stephanie Semmel