Spring Quarter, AY2015: Team laboratory projects

TEAM:	4-2
PROJECT:	Inventory Management System for Mobile Operating System
PROBLEM SPACE:	Current logistics system does not have a mobile or wireless application that would enable real-time updates, precision of records and ability to electronically manage the information.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Property managers are limited to having a paper copy of the accounts they are responsible for to properly reconcile records, conduct inventory, or submit/track maintenance requests. Current system not only gives an outdated picture of the account and is dependent on when it was printed, but it requires redundant efforts any time a change needs to be made. Depending on the size of the account, “eyes-on” accountability verifications can take weeks to complete.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Design and build a mobile application that will expand inventory and maintenance management software systems and enable it to electronically access property and maintenance records to make real-time updates through a wireless or mobile network.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	Project Manager
PROJECT:	Project Manager
PROBLEM SPACE:	A lack of efficient project management tool that allows management of multiple projects that use a variety of resources, personnel, with strict deadlines and dependencies.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	A lack of system that would help coordinate various projects and their underlying tasks in a manner that makes best use of time, personnel, and resources, which in turn will save their employers money or allow them to complete some crucial achievement on time and to a high enough standard.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Project Management System is a web-based application that allows users to efficiently collaborate on projects. The application will allow users to conveniently create, edit, and access information about projects and the details of subordinate tasks, including the location, duration, resources involved, and logical dependencies between tasks. It will also provide users the ability to send messages or receive notifications about their projects. The system will be accessed through a browser and will utilize data stored in a database either locally or on a remote server. This will enable the system to be usable in either an online or offline capacity.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	Security-at-sea
PROJECT:	Mobile Security at Sea
PROBLEM SPACE:	Security and access control with respect to mobile devices presents a serious challenge for the US Navy as well as other navies all over the world. Gaining control over these devices is imperative as technology advances enabling a full scope of features that present threats to security.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	No tracking ability in non-secure spaces on ships and shore facilities. Features that present threats to security: features accessible via the device’s camera, voice recording, document editing, semi-autonomous data collection, and social media interactions. Current method completely removes the computing power and technology that essentially all sailors currently own while they work in secure spaces. The cost benefit of providing a mechanism to lock out features on these mobile devices that present a threat to security, would thereby enable their use in secure spaces, and give access to a plethora of modern features present on the devices that sailors already own.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	The purpose of the system is to ensure physical and information security throughout Navy commands’ secure spaces. This is done by creating a system that has easily manipulatable interface for security managers create and set security profiles for different spaces on a Navy vessel.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	Swing Coach
PROJECT:	Electronic Swing Coach
PROBLEM SPACE:	A pervasive problem facing many students and avid players of golf is the lack of professional feedback regarding the mechanics of their golf swing during practice.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Currently, in order to receive this type of feedback, a golfer must sacrifice substantial amounts of money and/or time. One option to receive immediate feedback is for a golfer to hire (sacrificing money) a professional golf instructor to critique their swing. The other option is to record one’s swing and send it to a professional for analysis (sacrificing both time and money).
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Electronic Swing Coach (ESC) is designed to build a golf swing from the ground up by providing instantaneous visual and audio feedback and instructions to a wide range of individuals thereby improving their golf game. The ESC supports left or right handed males and females of most ages, sizes, spoken languages, education levels, and physical capabilities. Individuals will be required to interact with the ESC via touch screen and voice commands, and apply visual, audio, or physical instructions to their body position, movement and grip of club.
ILLUSTRATION:

Fall Quarter, AY2015: Team laboratory projects

TEAM:	Cry Babies
PROJECT:	UNIform COmmunication Response Node - UNICORN
PROBLEM SPACE:	Parental involvement and efficient communication with the schools.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Parents lack frequent dialogue with their child’s teacher regarding their child academic progress or general behavior. Parents are less inclined to help with their children’s homework because they don’t understand the material. Parents are less informed about their child’s extra-curricular activities.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	UNICORN (Unified Communications Remote Node) is a simple, easy-to-use, and feature-rich application that was developed to address parent’s lack of involvement in their child’s education. UNICORN bridges communication between teachers and parents. Our goal is to improve interaction between every teacher, student, and parent to improve education.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	Crow’s Nest
PROJECT:	A Ship Sensor Integration System
PROBLEM SPACE:	A lack of mobile system that provides a full spectrum of sensor feeds needed for ship navigation.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	The information needed for ship navigation tasks provided by various ship sensors to two individuals at two separate stations. These two individuals must communicate, share information, and coordinate efforts in order to ensure that the ship is leveraged as an integrated system. Lack of instantaneous access to unified information necessary to make hasty decisions in a dynamic environment and analyze situations in real time.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	A system that provides a means to relay the ship’s sensor information, a complex collection of data, to the user in a manner which provides maximum situational awareness. This is done by overlaying sensor information on top of an altered reality view of the ships exterior using the concepts of augmented reality. The user is able to see the world from the ships point of view, including the complex sensor information and status of the sensors themselves, which is translated into an easily actionable and realtime set of information. The user also has access to an overhead “radar-like” view that provides a view of the ships environment for increased situational awareness.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	Chronos
PROJECT:	Find The Time
PROBLEM SPACE:	Coordination of schedules of multiple people to support group activities.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Schedules in different formats (weekly or daily schedules, availability listed by hours or half-hours, handwritten, etc.), and received by different methods (handwritten papers, typed e-mails, verbally relayed, etc.) No onus is placed on the group members; the organizer does all the work. The process becomes more time consuming as the group becomes larger. Group members must repeatedly give the same information for each group to which they belong.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	A web-based program that approaches scheduling from a bottom-up manner. This web application allows many users to input their schedules, and produce a report that shows the meeting organizer when all members of a group are available to meet. Further, it functions as a standalone application with a minimalist user interface, capable of interfacing with calendar applications of each individual with enhanced customizability.
ILLUSTRATION:

Spring Quarter, AY2014: Team laboratory projects

TEAM:	Bruce Leroy
PROJECT:	Data Center Monitoring Application
PROBLEM SPACE:	Support of data center administrators’ work in mobile situations while they are away from their desks.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Data Center Administrators are usually not at their desks - they are at customers’ server racks troubleshooting or maintaining network equipment or servers. Often, they need information to help them complete their tasks, and they do so by looking at the video wall in the control room. However, this can be a problem as the view of the video wall may be blocked by rows of server racks. In addition to the video wall, administrators need customer-specific information that resides on their terminals in the control room. If an administrator needs to know the IP address of a particular server, he (she) currently must go into the control room and login to his terminal to retrieve the address.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	A mobile Data Center Monitoring application enables Data Center Administrators to remotely monitor the overall health of the Data Center as well as key portions of the Data Center. By arming the administrators with critical information at their fingertips, their work efficiency and effectiveness would increase significantly. The system aims to provide an efficient, intuitive and comprehensive graphical user interface application designed especially for the use on tablets.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	DEPCT
PROJECT:	Discontinuous Enhanced Physical Computerized Trainer
PROBLEM SPACE:	Crossfit-style and time-distance based interval workouts.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	User is exposed to many distractions during a workout session - keeping the focus is very hard, which becomes detrimental in precisely timed interval workout sessions. Carrying around a journal or logbook for recording workout activities is impractical. Even when digital assistant application is used they typically do not provide easy way to utilize logged data data in any other context (examples: no visual information related to progression in workout over a period of time, no possibility to create a new workout based on old workout without flipping back and forth and rewriting exactly what user had done before.)
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	The Discontinuous Enhanced Physical Computerized Trainer (DEPCT) mobile application allows a user to create, execute, save, review, and retrieve interval-based workout sessions in a way that is intuitive and efficient. Just as important, the DEPCT application allows a user to remain focused on your workouts by providing visual, auditory, and physical (vibration) cues as the reminders about each part of interval workout session.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	Major-Fu Media
PROJECT:	Pocket Leader
PROBLEM SPACE:	Administrative and management support for small unit leaders, specifically Division Officers and Platoon Commanders.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Leaders and supervisors, both military and civilian, are challenged with expertly accomplishing their duties while still managing the people in their charge. In a mobility centric world, it is often difficult to have all the administrative information at hand, relevant, current, and readily available to update or share. This information is currently disassociated across multiple systems, it is not current, and it is not in a format that can be easily shared. Unit information is not consolidated. The information for the unit is spread out over numerous spreadsheets and online file systems. Unit information is not quickly accessible. If the unit leader is in the field or on travel for a conference or exercise unit information is not normally available until they return to home station. No convenient support for individual trend analysis. There is currently no method in place to keep accurate track of individual performance between annual reporting cycles.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Pocket Leader is a mobile application that is designed to be with the unit leader at all times; it is deployed on smartphones, tablets and desktop computers. The application consolidates personnel administration and training information in an encrypted file accessible only to the leader and be synchronized among various devices. The portable nature and ease of access allows for immediate updates to training and individual achievements, as well as providing on hand information to senior leadership. When in the field the system stores the updates locally and then syncs to the cloud when connected to the internet. The system also prompts the unit leader to perform regular personnel reviews and track personnel trends between evaluation cycles, which ensures accurate evaluations and facilitates commander turnover procedures.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	USS Awesomeness
PROJECT:	Navy Tactical Cloud Messaging System
PROBLEM SPACE:	A lack of generic tools to assist Naval personnel to draft, route and release Naval Message Traffic.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Routing Naval Message Traffic through the Chain of Command and obtaining release authorization, then working with communication center personnel to transmit the messages is a time intense process. A message can take between one to four hours to draft, even when using a previous message as a starting point. Additional time (generally between 30 minutes to several hours) is required to route through the Chain of Command for approval before releasing the message.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Navy Tactical Cloud Message System provides Department of the Navy personnel with an intuitive web-based interface to draft, route and release various standard Navy Messages.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	3 Men and a Project
PROJECT:	Navy Wide Instructional Repository
PROBLEM SPACE:	Access to military instructions onboard of U.S. Navy installations.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Each installation must store anywhere from 50 to 100 local instructions on their own data storage devices - this requires storage space on the organization’s drives which increases a chances of data loss due to poor drive indexing and or inefficient storage procedures. Access to information in ineffective - if one needs to view the organization’s instructions, a user must a) have access to the organization’s network, b) request them from someone who works at the organization, or c) physically go to the location of the organization. Outside entities that need access to continuously inspect and audit these instructions, face the same issues with document access.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	The Navy-Wide Instruction Repository (NWIR), is a database system which seeks to provide its users, primarily U.S. Navy sailors, with the ability to access unclassified military instructions of any Navy installation or activity from anywhere in the world at any time.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	TXT Shield
PROJECT:	TXT Shield
PROBLEM SPACE:	Texting while driving.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	No effective method of incentivizing a driver’s resistance to texting while driving, particularly in the realm of mobile applications Statistic: 100,000+ vehicular crashes each year are caused by drivers who are texting while driving; this does not include drivers who are on their phone non handsfree. In 2011, 23% of all vehicular crashes involved cell phone use, that’s 1.3 million crashes. An average of 5 seconds (that’s how long the average driver is looking away from the road when texting on their phone) is the equivalent of driving the length of a football field when traveling at 55 MPH.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Txt Shield is a user friendly application that virtually eliminates the threat of texting while driving to users of smart phone devices. This application is designed to provide drivers with an interface that is intuitive, easy to use and fun, generating good habits in drivers of all ages. Primary usage of this application will be before and after transit, not during, as it is the intent of our application to remove the threat of texting while driving. The application has the ability to track mileage, both for the purpose of point generation and also for future software expansion. It will also maintain a log of past trips. Point totals will be calculated both aggregate (current trip) and total and will feed into the rewards portion of the application. It will provide the user with the ability to redeem points based on nearby participating vendors, a favorites list, and all available vendors (note: the assumption is that all those entities will be supporting the program and agreeing to provide rewards for accumulated points.)
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	UCL
PROJECT:	Ultimate Command Line
PROBLEM SPACE:	Human computer interaction
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Inefficient human-computer interaction: command line interfaces (CLI) require significant training for a user to become proficient, and graphical user interfaces only allow the user to perform a limited set of tasks, requiring the developer to consider all possible use cases. It is nearly impossible for the developer to anticipate all possible uses and therefore makes GUIs limited in their capabilities.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	The Ultimate Command Line (UCL) radically changes how humans and computers interact by allowing the computer to interface with humans in natural language rather than requiring humans to learn the computer's language. (For purposes of simplification typed text was used in lieu of spoken word.) Users should be allowed to utilize their computer to its maximum extent and an interface in the style of a CLI is the only way to achieve that goal. The largest fault with the CLI is that it requires the human to interface with the computer. This project will attempt to revolutionize the CLI by turning the tables and requiring the computer to interface with the human.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	PILE
PROJECT:	Personnel Interactive Linking Engine (PILE)
PROBLEM SPACE:	Locating personnel onboard Navy vessel.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Warships are large, industrial environments that require many personnel be distributed throughout the ship, often in isolation. In many situations, often emergencies, personnel often find themselves looking for specific individuals; whether it is because that person is the only technician for a malfunctioning piece of equipment, someone or something has fallen off the ship, or just because someone is late to a meeting. Typical method of finding people, i.e. when did you last see him, is ineffective Handheld radios, a.k.a. Bricks, are heavily used on ships, but the weight and size often result in personnel leaving them behind, and they provide no automatic feedback of the user’s location: they only allow the user to respond over an open or private circuit.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Personnel Interactive Linking Engine (PILE) offers both a calling service and a location service and allows each user to be equipped with a locator to communicate effectively while onboard the ship. For simplicity current interface shows one deck (level) only.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	TML
PROJECT:	Tickle-Me-Logistics
PROBLEM SPACE:	Submission and processing of warfighters’ logistical requests.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	The time from a warfighter recognizing a logistical need to a logistics provider receiving a accurate and valid logistical request to fill that need is too long. Current techniques are too slow in moving a logistical request from its initiator to the appropriate logistics provider.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	TickleMeLogistics is military logistics calculator and rapid logistical request system. TML’s purpose is to help provide more efficient logistical support to warfighters. It does this by (1) providing a special-purpose logistics calculator to simplify warfighters’ logistical request generation tasks and (2) providing a logistical request submission system that directly connects warfighters to logistics providers.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	The Falby Group
PROJECT:	Guide2Food
PROBLEM SPACE:	Shopping experience in a grocery store.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	No comprehensive tool that would support all needs of a typical shopper of grocery store. No way of knowing if some products are out of stock in given store before going to that store. No system that helps a shopper navigate through a store.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Guide2Food application assists grocery shoppers in preparing for their shopping trip, finding products in the store, and completing their purchase. The application that allows a user to upload a shopping list, check nearby grocery stores for availability of items from shopping list, select the best choice (store), drive to that store, successfully navigate a user through that store to the desired products (provide an optimized walking route), and allow the user to complete his(her) purchase without removing the items from the shopping cart. The ultimate goal is to enable the user to conduct shopping trip with less frustrations and an easier checkout procedure.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	Sink Tank
PROJECT:	TravelFit!
PROBLEM SPACE:	Management of regular workout sessions.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Current applications do not have optimized user interface. Applications do not allow for multiple users. Instead of providing an optimized set, current application overload their customers with a an array of workouts and exercises, which may not be feasible to do at the user’s gym.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	TravelFit! is a lightweight, intuitive application that helps a user collect, store, and analyze physical fitness data both at home and on the road. The system provides a simple interface with pre-defined templates for those looking for traditional fitness routines, it allows for customizable programs for people with specific goals in mind, and assists users in unfamiliar locations with finding a gym that suits their particular fitness needs
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	PYKAI
PROJECT:	NPS PYKAI - NPS Academic Tracker
PROBLEM SPACE:	NPS electronic academic support systems.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	The NPS military personnel accountability and academic support systems are not integrated and have limited automation. Students and faculty must regularly access multiple systems to coordinate their work and study tasks. Information from these systems is often manually copied to electronic calendars, task managers, and spreadsheets. Many of the systems are both visually and functionally out of date. Few of the systems natively support mobile access.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	NPS PYKAI application integrates functionality of NPS Sakai, Muster system, Pythons calendar and messaging system to create a centralized work space with an integrated calendar, task manager, and message center. By aggregating frequent academic tasks and functions on PYKAI home page we can reclaim underutilized space and help streamline student and faculty workflow.
ILLUSTRATION:

Fall Quarter, AY2014: Team laboratory projects

TEAM:	A Team
PROJECT:	Mobile Calorie Tracking Application
PROBLEM SPACE:	The United States is facing a growing health epidemic of massive proportions in obesity. According to the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, obesity in the United States ranges between 20% and 34%, or roughly more than a quarter of Americans. The question we need to ask ourselves is: What tool can we equip people with to help them navigate the modern world of their sedentary lifestyles, static work environments, and poor yet convenient food choices? Numerous applications exist to assist consumers in tracking exercise and calories, however current mobile device users lack an interface for tracking food and exercise in order to track and manage their daily activity level and diet in an efficient manner.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Current applications available to accomplish diet and exercise tracking are user-intensive, unnecessarily cumbersome, and frustrating for the user. Human-Computer interface is burdensome and the design flow is not optimized for intuitive operation. Ease of operation in an application increases the likelihood that someone will incorporate it into their daily routine. The applications not streamlined to allow rapid, simple, and repetitive use throughout the day.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Mobile Calorie Tracking Application that integrates routine tasks and management of user's diet and exercise regimen. Goal: The primary design goal for this tool was to reduce the time and number of steps required for users to perform frequently used tasks. In order to accomplish this, HCI design principles of Fitt’s law, Gestalt and use of white space were implemented to improve interface efficiency. The most frequently used functions were placed in the application start up screen, and an additional affordance of text recognition by camera supplemented the barcode-scanning feature.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	AMPT
PROJECT:	Automated Mission Preparation Tool (AMPT)
PROBLEM SPACE:	Manual preparation of mission cards. The act of building, formatting, and updating mission cards combined with the inevitable last minute changes before a patrol steps off, is a constant source of friction and frustration.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Mission cards are still an analog i.e. hand written information. Labor intensive building, formatting, and updating of information. Inevitable last minute changes before a patrol steps off. Hard to collect data and analyze mission profiles.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Introduce a digital version of mission cards, with a use of mission templates for fast entry, allowing sharing and access to information by all concerned parties. Goal: A new automated system should achieve or exceed the same amount of command and control awareness, while streamlining and decreasing the amount of time that patrol leadership spends inputting the information into various documents. It is important the person responsible for inputting or querying the system gains an understanding of this system in less than 30 minutes. This software tool will enable the creation and completion of pre-mission command and control requirements. The system will be available on a mobile platform that allows the user to easily input personnel, weapons, and serialized gear information by manual manipulation, QR code scanning, or bar code reader. This system must be accessible by outside elements to facilitate command and control. The tool will act as an aid to track mission statuses of outbound, returning, and previous patrols.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	CASEVAC
PROJECT:	Handheld Emergency Logistics Program (H.E.L.P.), CASEVAC Module
PROBLEM SPACE:	A lacks of tool that would help unit members with limited experience with Medical Evacuation 9-Line request, to successfully prepare and submit this request.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Knowledge of making and submitting a Medical Evacuation 9-Line request is concentrated into the hands of a select few, while inexperienced individuals may also be in situation when they have to make this request. Printed cheat sheets impractical; passive information with no ability to correct for mistakes.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	The principal goal of the "CASEVAC" application is to allow a user that is not proficient or untrained in 9-Line procedures, in a stressful environment, to successfully submit and proper 9-Line in a timely and efficient matter. The system should be easy enough that an individual needs minimal to no training before using the application. The application should help guide and direct the user through the process by providing helpful hints and shortcuts when filling out the 9-Line information. The application will make use of built it device sensors to speed up the process of completing the request. Maintaining connectivity with higher headquarters should be preserved behind the scenes with minimal input from the user. Transmission of the 9-Line request should just be a simple press of a button. Finally, experienced users will be able to use the device augment their ability to transmit a 9-Line.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	EOD Team
PROJECT:	EOD Digital Hive - Explosive Ordnance Disposal Portal
PROBLEM SPACE:	Given the current configurations of DoD and agency EOD organizations, information and tacit knowledge generated from individuals and small teams does not flow adequately across geographic and organizational boundaries.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) leaders and their organizations are operating in extremely dynamic and volatile environments. Information overload is hindering their ability to respond rapidly and effectively to the highly unpredictable explosive threats they confront. The volume, velocity, and variety of information related to EOD domain surpasses the ability of individuals and organizations to make full use of it within a given time constraint Difficult to quickly share the latest tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) among EOD personnel from all military services and law enforcement agencies while protecting them from public dissemination.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	EOD Digital Hive - Explosive Ordnance Disposal Portal Goal: The purpose of the EOD Digital Hive is to augment EOD community information processing and problem solving. Using Web 2.0 capabilities of many-to-many communication, the system enables voluntary participants to transform formerly closed EOD networks into open networks between parallel EOD organizations through the sharing and building upon new ideas and timely lessons learned. As a result of ease of sharing, processing, and retrieving vital knowledge, an EOD collective intelligence can emerge such that collaboratively, EOD operators can sustain a degree of excellence in the field not possible before.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	Naval Messaging
PROJECT:	Naval Messaging System
PROBLEM SPACE:	The current process of constructing and routing naval messages is time intensive and tedious.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Message formats must be researched in large instruction manuals. The message is frequently routed by hand around the ship as different levels of the chain of command provide editing prior to the Commanding Officer's final approval. The amount of time taken to send a message can be significantly longer than the time it takes to gather the required information.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Naval Messaging System Goal: The purpose of our naval messaging system is to provide a streamlined process for quickly creating and routing outgoing messages and easily viewing the important information of incoming messages.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	The Mixed Bag
PROJECT:	NPS SmartWatch
PROBLEM SPACE:	A lack of an effective, integrated tool that would support multiple tasks done daily by NPS personnel (mustering) and provide additional functionalities that are currently not supported.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	The current mustering system is functional but imprecise in that it does not detail who is actually on base at NPS and who may be working elsewhere. In case of an emergency impacting NPS, the muster record would not currently provide a valid start point for personnel accountability. A multitude of routine tasks currently unsupported with automated solutions: identity authentication, compilation of facility usage data and attendance data, and processing credit card payments.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	NPS SmartWatch Goal: The purpose of the NPS SmartWatch system is to enable a maximally automated accountability system that both relies on and provides relative location. A subsidiary purpose is to make the performance of routine tasks easier for users while supporting the requirement to verify identities (muster database interface and update, PMO identity authentication), communicate between leadership and student personnel, collect and maintain facility usage data (facility identity authentication, facility usage data, library checkout), and E-Commerce (credit card payments).
ILLUSTRATION:

Spring Quarter, AY2013: Team laboratory projects

TEAM:	PCS Easy
PROJECT:	PCS Easy Tool
PROBLEM SPACE:	No automated system to assist a member through the process Permanent Change of Station Orders.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Manual military check out process and check in process at each location. Military members are required to use many different scattered online resources to find a new home, enable services, and locate important interests. All the coordination and scheduling is done by a member; he/she needs to contact all the entities themselves, then make the move, and check in, to his/her new command. There is no system that incorporates the entire process.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	PCS Easy tool that automates and assists in the process of Permanent Change of Station. Goal: Automated system to assist a member through the process would allow that person and his family to make this move easier, more timely, and allow them to continue to focus on their current jobs that they are expected to do. It will also assist the commands in to ensure their members are supported through the entire process.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	SHARPer
PROJECT:	SHARPer: Training and Readiness Scheduling Module
PROBLEM SPACE:	Manual system in support of scheduling aircrew training.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Currently, a manual system of scheduling aircrew training is used by naval aviation squadrons. Current system lacks automation between all the players (NATOPS Officer, training facilities, admin department, aircrew member). No automated access to documents and information that needs to be checked (squadron's operational commitments, deployment schedules, pertinent aircrew information). Manual entries of the new qualification dates into SHARP.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	SHARPer: Training and Readiness Scheduling Module Goal: The goal of this tool is augment capabilities of current tool SHARP and automate the process of scheduling and database entry for aircrew training within Naval Air Forces.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	SmartTranslation
PROJECT:	Smart Translation Management System
PROBLEM SPACE:	No effective automated tool that supports management and execution of translation tasks, as well as coordination of project teams who work on translation tasks.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	No system that provides project Managers with up-to-date details about each translation project. This includes the project name, project number, linguist(s) currently assigned for the project, project manager responsible for the project, project progress, project delivery date etc. Users need a system that is simple and straightforward, with clear language, easy to navigate, and easy to understand.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Smart Translation Management System Goal: Smart Translation system enables project managers to manage translation projects by providing a user friendly, dynamic, interactive and collaborative system. The system also provides the linguists and customers a better way to accomplish their goals and schedule their tasks.
ILLUSTRATION:

Fall Quarter, AY2013: Team laboratory projects

TEAM:	MoBetter
PROJECT:	Modernizing the U.S. Navy Tool for Navigation: Electronic Maneuver Boards
PROBLEM SPACE:	Maneuvering Board - MOBOARDS, a pen and paper record about ship relative movement and the contacts.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Calculation Errors: OS doing the calculations may forget a mathematical rule unknowingly set a disastrous course, Plotting Errors: The OS may mistakenly plot the wrong locations of other vessels decreasing situational awareness of the CDC. Overwhelmed OS personnel: If there are multiple vessels near by, one OS may not be able to calculate the locations and relative movements of the other vessels quick enough to avoid collision. Group involvement: To assist with the work load, more than one OS may assist during the calculations and potentially confuse the primary OS who is actually doing the calculations. Misinformation is passed to the decision maker: The ship Captain or others who are relying on the calculations may make their decisions on bad information.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Electronic Maneuvering Board (EMB) - a digital solution for what is essentially laborious pen and paper task. Goal: reduce the amount of potential errors of the current system, allow ease of use, remove a need to memorize any formulas or conduct calculations, remove a need to carry additional supplies of paper MOBOARDS or rulers, make the job of decision-maker easier. Digital display can quickly be updated when the situation changes using any type of display solution (computer monitor, tablet or television screen). The same situations can be seen on multiple platforms to multiple users to simultaneously or sequentially calculate the positions and relative motion of several vessels.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	The Greeks
PROJECT:	Good Neighbor Garage
PROBLEM SPACE:	Absence of a comprehensive tool that would support multiple services to car owners and allow them a freedom of choice in terms of selecting the best competitive solution for their car needs.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	no single easy-to-use tool that integrates all services typically needed to car owners (regular maintenance, repairs, car history, garage selection, appointment management, communication with service and technical personnel, access to customer reviews)
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Toll and user interface that enable multiple functions: (1) price comparison and selection of services from the multiple auto repair shops in vicinity of user's home, (2) digital records from the previous maintenance services, repairs or changes, (3) appointments management, (3) purchase of spare parts, (4) communication with technical personnel, (5) access to customer reviews for any auto repair shop.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	Aimar and Will
PROJECT:	Group Activity Collaboration-Online - GACO
PROBLEM SPACE:	Absence of a comprehensive solution that would enable group travel planning activities.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	no single web tool that would support all functions - need to use multiple web sites (tools) tools typically for individual use, not group use group coordination extremely hard (manual - no automation), takes too much time
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Group Activity Collaboration-Online (GACO) tool that streamlines how people organize and agree on different elements relevant to group activity (timeframe, overall price, travel arrangements, accommodation, choice of group activities at destination).
ILLUSTRATION:

Spring Quarter, AY2012: Team laboratory projects

TEAM:	Beer View Mirrors
PROJECT:	Medical System/Application Resource Tool - Deployable (MSART-D)
PROBLEM SPACE:	Military medical community, and a range of tasks they have to do to process a single patient.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Different tasks have to be completed in different locations and in different systems Almost non-existent interoperability and data transfer from one system to the other Medical professionals not being able to acquire the required information on a patient, medical treatment, medical illness, etc. without having to walk to different locations and/or log into different applications/systems utilizing different computer assets. These combined actions take away valuable time that the medical professionals could use with our patients.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	A set of hardware and software solutions (including intuitive user interfaces) that will integrate and provide simple access to all data resources and functionalities performed by military medical staff members. The solution includes advice on platforms to be used (including mobile device), a list of functions that need to be available (universal patient record keeping, calendar management - appointment scheduling, medical data and scans, medical history, medical inventory). The same system has to integrate a be easy to use by three groups of users identified identified in user requirements study: screeners, medics and doctors.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	Green Card Express
PROJECT:	Project Timeline Builder (PTB)
PROBLEM SPACE:	Tool to support creation and management of complex calendar events (projects).
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Calendaring systems not allowing for hierarchical relationships between schedules. Currently, calendaring systems allow multiple schedules (calendars) to be created but only in a flat, unstructured way. This is adequate for an individual or a small organization’s functional schedule breakdown (e.g. an individual may have schedules for home, work, school, etc.), but is inadequate to model the related schedules of a large-hierarchical organization. Calendaring systems not allowing for temporal dependencies between events. In planned projects, events are often related with other events temporally (i.e. the start of one event occurs some time after the completion of another). Although these individual events can be specified in today’s calendaring systems, their sequencing relationships cannot. This lack of sequencing support is a big limitation to using mainstream calendaring tools for project planning.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	A standalone web-based project planning tool that will allow for more robust temporal modeling relationships. Its broader appeal will be its integration with existing calendaring systems. Once published, The Project Timeline Builder will create and manage these schedules in external calendaring systems, allowing users to subscribe, overlay, analyze, and view project schedules on their own calendaring tool.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	Gruppe Kraken
PROJECT:	Joint Forward Observer Training Suite, Mobile
PROBLEM SPACE:	Training solutions for Joint Forward Observers (JFO) and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC).
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Call For Fire (CFF) is a perishable skill. The small unit leader's training is limited by the resources they have available, and those are inadequate given today's technological solutions (example: throwing little rocks at bigger rocks to simulate call for fire provides some training but it does not provide the same quality as a simulation-training center). No opportunity for spontaneity in executing training in Battalion spaces with high fidelity training devices.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	An integrated and portable virtual training environment for Joint Forward Observers (JFO) and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC). The software will run on a portable device allowing the small unit leader to greatly increase the quality of the training that occurs in the moments of daily down time.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	The Information DomiNation
PROJECT:	IT Equipment Inventory System
PROBLEM SPACE:	Tracking and management of Information Systems Technology (IT) equipment
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	While conducting the inventory, some commands still use paper and pen, sending out technicians to find these pieces of equipment, many of which look exactly alike (desktop computer towers for example). Human error can be introduced when machines are counted twice, or not at all. This usually results in having someone else conduct an independent inventory, doubling an already man-hour intensive task
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	An effective Human-Computer Interface (HCI) to support both the administration and inventory of IT equipment for an individual command. The goal is to develop an interface that is streamlined and intuitive, yet comprehensive enough that the overall objectives (effective and efficient inventory) are attained.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	MonteRepair
PROJECT:	MonteRepair Automotive Service
PROBLEM SPACE:	Integrated service and car management system to support the specific needs of NPS and DLI community
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	NPS and DLI communities have geographic, language caused and cultural impediments compared to the local civilian population. Inadequate central clearinghouse to coordinate transparent driving and maintenance resources and services to our users. Due to the transitivity of our target population, NPS and DLI populations lacks local commercial repair and maintenance knowledge and their respective pricing structures.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	The MonteRepair Automotive Service tool to provide Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and Defense Language Institute (DLI) military communities and their direct family members a user-centric, web-based, local automotive scheduling, referral and resource portal.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	Shells From Hell
PROJECT:	Untrained Forward Observer (UFO) Translator
PROBLEM SPACE:	Training for Call For Fire (CFF) missions in combat and non-combat environments
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Indirect fire may be needed when there are no Forward Observers around - therefore there is a need to provide this type of training to a larger military population, and even to use the system while conducting Call for Fire. Calling For Fire is a perishable skill and without consistent practice, simple exposure to CFF is not sufficient to enable retention.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	The UFO Translator capable of assisting the untrained observers to perform CFF by asking them a series of simple questions and then "translating" the answers into a CFF that can be sent to a Fire Direction Center and processed into a fire mission.
ILLUSTRATION:

Fall Quarter, AY2012: Team laboratory projects

TEAM:	1
PROJECT:	PYTHON Extension
PROBLEM SPACE:	Redesign of a user interface for Python NPS System, student segment
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	unfriendly user interface lack of features needed to support different segments of student academic life at NPS (example: scheduling)
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	A new set of scheduling features and user interface that will improve the functionality and usability of the current PYTHON interface.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	BOSS
PROJECT:	Expeditionary Ops Planning Tool
PROBLEM SPACE:	Digital toll that would support planning of US navy Riverine Expeditionary operations.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Briefs and plans prepared manually using PowerPoint application. PowerPoint is not a skill many of sailors possess, and creation of those documents multiplies the preparation time.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	An efficient and easy to use interface which produces an effective set of briefs with little to no prior training on the application, and in significantly less time than is currently required.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	CAG
PROJECT:	Restaurant of the Future
PROBLEM SPACE:	Restaurant operation.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Lack of control on part of the guest: they do not have information at time when they need it (have to wait for a waiter), for each action they have to wait a service staff (meal order, changes in the order, additional order, drink refill, bill payment), For the staff, the current model relies on numerous disparate pieces of information that are needed to efficiently manage a restaurant and serve the guests. Servers need better situational awareness of the needs of all the guests in the dining area, kitchen staff need more accurate orders and a better way to communicate in the kitchen, and management needs to have all the important information needed to effectively manage the restaurant in a single place that is easy to access.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	A tool that seeks to eliminate or mitigate inefficiencies in the way a restaurant operates, and deliver a better dining experience to the guest as well as a better serving experience to the serving staff, kitchen staff and management. Our solution will be presented on mobile devices made available to all users - guests will be able to make an order and change/add to their order or pay the bill using a tablet; similarly service people, kitchen staff, chef and manager will use table device to initiate and complete their actions.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	GAS
PROJECT:	NPS Student Center.
PROBLEM SPACE:	NPS PYTHON interface, student segment.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Interface not intuitive. Lack of basic functionality that would make the system more easily navigable and intuitive.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	we will redesign NPS Python interface for students and provide a new solution that will rely on solid user interface design principles and task analysis driven system functionality as symbiotic elements in a feature-filled, intuitive interface catering to the needs of its users. Final solution will aim to be a task-friendly, streamlined, and powerful interface that will contribute to a better overall school experience and increase a student's most valuable resource: time.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	iTeam
PROJECT:	iWorkout
PROBLEM SPACE:	Personal exercise and fitness application
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Exercise applications not 'aware' of the fitness environment - the equipment available in particular gym. No comprehensive set of functionalities to support individual exercise regimen. This includes help features (training videos) and monitoring of individual progress.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	Mobile application that supports a comprehensive exercise regimen via intuitive and familiar touch screen menu on a smart phone with touch screen capability, allowing users to build and monitor a custom workout regimen consisting of a wide variety of cardiovascular, machine and free weight exercise systems found at typical gym. A system recognition of the equipment in the gym will be done using QR reader technology using the same mobile device.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	JOBS
PROJECT:	INtegrated Flying Operations PLAnning NETwork (InfoPlanet)
PROBLEM SPACE:	Flight mission planning for a Flying Training Squadron (FTS).
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Personnel statuses updates are not reliable Aircraft serviceability statuses are updated by the maintenance branch. Unless there are significantly more serviceable aircrafts than required for turnovers (unlikely the case), it is likely the crews are operating on tight maintenance schedule. Planners need to check with the maintenance branch frequently. Current system does not have an automated rule check on the flight planning constraints. Planners also have to conduct last minute review of flight plans if unforeseen events occur (such as bad weather, lack of aircrafts, personnel reporting sick) and is further worsen by the slow information flow. This process is time consuming and may result in non-optimal planning.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	A simple and centralized platform to ease the data-matching tasks required by various user groups in Flying Training Squadron (FTS). The same tool will inform the personnel on the flight schedules, weather forecasts, aircraft allocation, Qualified Flight Instructors (QFI) to Trainee allocation and assist in the automation of planning and optimization of resource usage for training purposes.
ILLUSTRATION:

TEAM:	Searching
PROJECT:	Automated and Synchronized System for Unit Management and Evaluation (ASSUME)
PROBLEM SPACE:	Personnel and training management system.
IDENTIFIED ISSUES:	Unit-level readiness is managed in via a variety of tools, none of which are integrated (example: Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, documents with other data formats.). When developing training plans and watch bills, training officers, department heads, and division officers must pull the information from these sources and manually create each plan. Result: errors, duplication and missing data, and numerous iterations necessary to ensure an accurate picture of all personnel.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:	ASSUME will integrate the training, qualification, and watch bill creation domains, providing a centralized, single-source resource.
ILLUSTRATION: