Author: Office of Research

Spring 2023

April 2023 Update

Accomplishments/Updates

  • Completed the print page feature, and modified it to meet project partner requirements
  • Completed modifications to the online form based on the requirements from Kids-U
  • Populated Kid-U sites on the enrollment form (weren’t there previously)
  • Began process to off board the code for next semester

Issues

  • We couldn’t complete our other goals due to the time constraints.
  • The system to print PDF’s had to be re-worked since the system looked too cumbersome to work with.

Goals that were set for April

  • Fully implement a way to download a PDF of the online form. ✔️ (complete)
  • Finish modifying the online form based on project partner feedback. ✔️ (complete)
  • Update the student roster with changes based on partner feedback. (not completed)
  • Update the report card system to accept multiple report cards. (not completed)
  • Update grade column to show grades from previous years. (not completed).
Spring 2023

March 2023 Update

Accomplishments/Updates

  • Started working on the fully migrated code
  • Developed prototype code to convert the online form into a PDF that can be printed
  • Nearly finished modifying the online form according to project partner requirement
  • Updated the age system to automatically update each kid’s age annually

Issues

  • ASP.NET and the other tools used to make the project are completely new to most members of the team

Goals for April

  • Fully implement a way to download a PDF of the online form.
  • Finish modifying the online form based on project partner feedback
  • Update the student roster with changes based on partner feedback
  • Update the report card system to accept multiple report cards
  • Update grade column to show grades from previous years

Goals that were set for March

  • Understand the code from the GitHub ✔️
    • Complete. We understand enough of the code to work with it
  • Learn C#, ASP.NET, and other tools required to work on the project ✔️
    • Complete. We learned the basics, enough to work on the project
  • Update the age system to reflect a student’s current age ✔️
    • Complete
  • Implement legally binding signatures for the online form ✔️
    • Complete. Although the end result is different from what we expected, we completed based on feedback from the project partner
Spring 2023

February 2023 Update

Accomplishments/Updates

  • Understood project requirements and made a list of tasks to accomplish by the end of the semester
  • Completed project brief and project plan
  • Got access to the code for the project
  • We managed to successfully compile and run the code on every team member’s device

Issues

  • Our team as a whole has little experience with C# and the other tools required for the project
  • We got access to the database and code much later than expected.

Goals for March

  • Understand the code from the GitHub
  • Learn C#, ASP.NET, and other tools required to work on the project
  • Update the age system to reflect a student’s current age
  • Implement legally binding signatures for the online form

Goals that were set for February

  • Get access to the code ✔️
    • Complete. We got access to the GitHub repository that stores all the project code
  • Set up our computers with the tools required to work on the project ✔️
    • Complete. We managed to successfully compile and run the code on every team member’s device
  • Gain a better understanding of the project and set clear requirements for the project ✔️
    • Complete. We spoke to our project partner and made a list of tasks to do by the end of the semester.
Spring 2023

January 2023 Update

Accomplishments/Updates

  • We had a team bonding activity where we chose to go have boba together.
  • We met up with the project partner and mentor
  • We assigned roles for each team member
  • We looked at the previous teams documents to have a better understanding of the project

Issues

  • Due to a misunderstanding, we missed the meeting with our mentor and project partner, and we needed to make up those meetings
  • We didn’t have access to the code

Goals for February

  • Get access to code
  • Set up our computers with the tools required to work on the project
  • Gain a better understanding of the project and set clear requirements for the project
Uncategorized

Fabrication Suspended.

Due to the highly unfortunate outcomes of COVID-19, the design lab has been closed for the semester. Because of this, we are no longer able to make progress in fabricating the booth. As such, there will be no delivery to the project partner this semester as previously anticipated.

Current goals are to

  1. Centralize all files and write instructions to help the fall 2020 team hit the ground running.
  2. Create the IKEA-style assembly and usage document for use by Kids-U.
  3. Update the CAD model with the new reduced dimensions, for use by the fall 2020 team.

 

Private Recording Booth, Spring 2020

Fabrication Begins!

Materials from McMaster came in, and it appears as though we’ve ordered all the right parts! This should be a given, but that’s not the case with every project. Assembly is a little tricky, but the folks in the fab lab have been beyond helpful. We have decided to bring in the depth and width of the environment by 6″ (from 2.5′ to 2′) to better fit the school desks that Kids-U now wants to house these on. We have assembled two frames, which still need some added corner-protection for safety. Great progress so far, staying on track with the aggressive schedule.

Private Recording Booth, Spring 2020

CAD Models

The CAD model has been through many iterations, which worked on packaging, structural integrity, and ease-of-assembly. You can see the framing rails made of 1″ T-Slot extrusion, and the interior panels made of corrugated plastic board. It includes vacuum cups for increased stability. This model was taken to site visit #3, shown to the project partner, and approved. Since then, we have ordered materials and are preparing for fabrication!

Spring 2020

An Update from the Team

Despite the delays due to the highly unfortunate outcomes of COVID-19, Team Bookshelf is still on track to complete the website’s back-end code. So far, we have completed the CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) functionalities for the Students model, and we are almost done implementing the login function for staff and admins. Our current goals for the nearby future are to update the CRUD functionalities for Districts, Schools, and Sites models using the Students model as reference, dynamically allocate lists for the models, and research an effective method to search for aggregate data.

Private Recording Booth, Spring 2020

Site Visit #3

Today we made a site visit to one of the KidsU locations near campus. This was Rachel and Rishi’s first site visit, and the third overall. The posters and decorations gave the team members some elementary school nostalgia, and we thought more about safety of the design with respect to sharp corners. We showed the project partner our current CAD (renders to come soon), and explained the goals we had in mind when designing this model. They were very excited to hear about the compact size, reduced weight, and modularity. They are already planning on bringing in designated desks at each of their locations to house our booths – we were surprised to learn that they wanted multiple!

Right now its full steam ahead into ordering parts and building the first scale model.

Private Recording Booth, Spring 2020

First iteration of 2020

At the beginning of the semester, we were tossing around the idea of using a polycarb framing with the acoustic foam filling the interior. Instead of the legs, we were looking at clamping the model to the table, since that eliminates the need for telescoping (table-height-agnostic) legs. We wanted the model to fold together and be compact for easier travel, so we were playing with the geometry of the panels and hinges to reduce the space in its folded up form. A render of this initial version is included below.

textured render of the initial concept january 2020