Revised technical report
Executive Summary
Students from Singapore Institute Technology(SIT) highlighted the need to walk around campus in search of vacant study areas for revision or project discussion. This is due to reasons such as the scattered location of different study areas and high demand for seats, especially during examination periods. On top of that, a lack of proper naming convention for the various study areas makes it complicated and inconvenient for students to describe meet up locations to their peers.
This report will propose solutions to address concerns raised by students with regards to the study areas. Extensive research gathered by our team has shown a need to consider improving the way students utilise open study areas.
The solutions specifically crafted to tackle the issues raised are as follows: 1) A common naming system will be established for easy identification of the various spaces. 2) A mobile monitoring application making use of web-cameras will be suggested so that all students will be able to remotely check on crowd situations at the different study areas.
1. Introduction
During our course of study as undergraduates at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), our team came to realise that assignments, tests and projects can be overwhelming. Students often need to stay back after classes to study but this has become increasingly difficult. An online survey (see appendix A) among SIT students has reflected high demand for vacancy at study areas, difficulty in finding them as well as substantial support for our initiative to launch a way to remotely check on crowd traffic at the various study areas.
During our course of study as undergraduates at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), our team came to realise that assignments, tests and projects can be overwhelming. Students often need to stay back after classes to study but this has become increasingly difficult. An online survey (see appendix A) among SIT students has reflected high demand for vacancy at study areas, difficulty in finding them as well as substantial support for our initiative to launch a way to remotely check on crowd traffic at the various study areas.
Most courses in SIT share the same academic timetable as by the school’s website. This means most examinations are conducted during the same academic timeframes causing an influx of students during such periods. This makes finding unoccupied study areas prior to examinations extremely tedious.
According to Schoenherr (2006), group study has been proven to be more effective, thus students often prefer to study in large numbers. This, in turn, makes securing seats on university campuses to accommodate the trend a sizable challenge.
Specifically, in SIT, the study areas are neither given proper naming conventions nor are their locations introduced to first-year students upon matriculation. This makes communicating the location of study areas within the students complicated. The various study areas are also scattered all around the campus, making it time-consuming for students to walk around in search of a place to study. The unnecessary waste of time spent on walking around could have been better used for self-study.
As such, our team is determined to ensure such inconveniences are eliminated. The team’s proposal of granting students access to the surveillance cameras to monitor crowd situations through a mobile application at various study areas will do so. In the process, various study areas will be identified and allocated respective names.
4.2 Mobile viewing application
The second part of our solution is to implement a mobile viewing application. This will allow students from SIT to check the availability of study spaces in school before heading over to the study locations. The mobile viewing application will tap into the existing surveillance cameras and allow students to see the live feed of the study areas from a bird’s eye view.
The second part of our solution is to implement a mobile viewing application. This will allow students from SIT to check the availability of study spaces in school before heading over to the study locations. The mobile viewing application will tap into the existing surveillance cameras and allow students to see the live feed of the study areas from a bird’s eye view.
Based on an article “How to change your analog camera to IP with a converter” published by Annke (2016), the team learned that there are 2 different kinds of security cameras namely the Internet Protocol (IP) Camera and the Analog Camera. The main difference between the two is the way the broadcasts are delivered to the user.
The IP camera receives digitalised video input directly and transmits it over an IP network for users to stream and record the feed in real time. As such an IP Camera’s feed can easily be remotely accessed with internet access.
On the other hand, the Analog camera transmits video signals by means of a video cable to a central system before the user able to view the feed. Therefore, to transmit the video feed to the internet for remote monitoring, a converter needs to be installed to the central system
If the current cameras utilize the Internet Protocol (IP) system, the video feed can be directly projected onto the mobile application. However, in the event that the current surveillance cameras installed at each of the study areas in SIT@Dover utilises the Analog system, a converter can be installed to give them internet properties. With the cameras granted internet access, the live video feed can then be extended to the mobile application for students to retrieve remotely.
Once the mobile application is launched, its download link will be uploaded onto the school’s website, a follow-up email will then be sent out to all SIT’s students with step by step instructions on where to download the application and how to navigate it. Instructions will be integrated together with the posters about the new study areas’ naming conventions before being pasted around the campus and onto the school’s social media accounts.
The mobile application will consist of four pages. The login page, reminder page and two viewing pages.
To access the application, students will have to log in with their SIT user account (STU/170****) and their password as reflected by figure 2.1.
Figure 2.1: Login page of the mobile application
Figure 2.2: Reminder page of mobile application
Figures 2.3 and 2.4 shows a screenshot of the actual application interface where users can choose different study areas to review crowd situations.
Figure 2.3: Viewing the study space
Figure 2.4: Viewing the study space
6. Alternative Solution
An alternative solution from the mobile application is having monitor screens showing the study areas’ crowd situations of the study areas and have them installed at strategically high traffic locations around the campus for students to access the vacancies. This system essentially serves the same purpose of being able to check on the study areas’ occupancy remotely.
An alternative solution from the mobile application is having monitor screens showing the study areas’ crowd situations of the study areas and have them installed at strategically high traffic locations around the campus for students to access the vacancies. This system essentially serves the same purpose of being able to check on the study areas’ occupancy remotely.
In comparison, this solution would not be as advantageous because the kiosks would incur higher setup and maintenance costs. Apart from the higher costs, the monitor screens are limited to being installed in a number of areas while the mobile application can be accessed by students from any location.
7.1 Misuse of system by interlopers
With the convenience that the team’s implementation brings, a primary concern is that non-members of the faculty can download the application and abuse the system, as a result compromising the security of our facilities. In prevention of such problems, the team suggests integrating SIT’s student portal into the login page of the mobile application. This means interlopers will be restricted from accessing our camera viewing screen.
With the convenience that the team’s implementation brings, a primary concern is that non-members of the faculty can download the application and abuse the system, as a result compromising the security of our facilities. In prevention of such problems, the team suggests integrating SIT’s student portal into the login page of the mobile application. This means interlopers will be restricted from accessing our camera viewing screen.
8.1 Primary Research
Our group also did a two-weeks site survey to understand the crowd situation in its study areas. We gathered feedback from students on possible further improvements to the current system as well as recorded crowd statistics during the two-weeks site survey. Through an online survey conducted with a participating crowd of forty-two students of SIT, the team found that students reflected a general inconvenience in finding study spaces in SIT. Of which, most students have also given positive feedback on the idea of a monitoring system and agreed it will help them reduce time wastage and effort in looking for seats. (Refer to Appendix A for detailed survey results.)
Our group also did a two-weeks site survey to understand the crowd situation in its study areas. We gathered feedback from students on possible further improvements to the current system as well as recorded crowd statistics during the two-weeks site survey. Through an online survey conducted with a participating crowd of forty-two students of SIT, the team found that students reflected a general inconvenience in finding study spaces in SIT. Of which, most students have also given positive feedback on the idea of a monitoring system and agreed it will help them reduce time wastage and effort in looking for seats. (Refer to Appendix A for detailed survey results.)
Thanks for the revision.
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