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Project Description:

Introduction to Project
AskPolly is a self-service tool for market research created by Advanced Symbolics Inc. (ASI) that uses artificial intelligence to study what people are saying online on social media. A person enters a query of what they want to measure (e.g. trucker protest), and the population they want to measure (e.g. residents of Ottawa). Polly then returns what conversations people are having online, how people feel about each of the conversations, and the demographics of the people. Though a powerful tool on the back-end, AskPolly’s engineering-first interface design was in need of improvement. ASI approached our team to research and design a new interface for AskPolly that makes the product easier and more intuitive to use.

Our Roles
Muhammad Khan: UX Research
Joyat Joseph: Interaction Design
Zhi Wang: Data Visualization

What We Did
We began the project by conducting a literature review and a heuristic evaluation of the current product. We also conducted interviews with engineers and augmented research managers at ASI to gain a better understanding of AskPolly and its function. We organized the information architecture of AskPolly and researched data visualization techniques that we could use to output information on a dashboard.
Using what we learned during our initial research we created a low-fidelity prototype using Figma that makes several changes to the original product to fill gaps in the user experience. First, we simplified the search page to have a single entry for a query, rather than having to manually add keywords one by one in separate entry boxes. We also added a loading screen, to improve the experience during the 5 minutes that it takes Polly to gather information for the dashboard. On the dashboard, we introduced a new card-based interface to make the conversations easy to digest. We also introduced simplified graphs to quickly provide users with an overview of the information related to the conversations they select. We also added functionality to add and remove graphs so that the user can customize the dashboard to their needs.

Next Steps
The next step of this project is design validation. We will be conducting usability testing on our design, and iterating it over 4 weeks to ensure that it truly meets the needs of users. During the tests, we will also be collecting important information on how users enter queries into AskPolly, which will be used to improve Polly’s ability to understand user inputs. Once we have a validated design, we will present a high-fidelity prototype and our research findings to Advanced Symbolics Inc. so that the engineering team can implement our recommendations.

We would like to thank the team at Advanced Symbolics and Jed Looker for the opportunity to work on this project and for all their help!

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Project Description:

The concept for DocConnect was developed by Alek Golijanin, a local community builder looking to make a difference in the lives of others, especially Canadian youth.
DocConnect is a web-based application designed to be used by high school guidance counselors to help students who do not have a family doctor. A postal code is entered, and DocConnect returns a list of nearby doctors and clinics. Necessary enrolment forms are also provided ready to print, to make the whole process as simple as possible.
This was a continuation of work previously begun by Algonquin College students in an earlier semester. There were some issues involving the initial set-up of the database account on the Firebase platform that were resulting in the DocConnect site being nonfunctional, so this was the highest priority. After resolving that issue, our work shifted to expanding the scope of DocConnect beyond Ottawa by increasing the number of cities represented in DocConnect’s search function, starting with Edmonton. This way, DocConnect could best fulfill our client’s goal of improving kids’ lives. Some alterations with made to the administrative, reflecting the expanded search scope in the database administration.
We also worked on finetuning the look and feel of DocConnect’s user interface to ensure a straightforward and effortless user experience.
Over the course of our work on DocConnect, several unexpected shifts in project requirements meant we had to be quick to adapt and flexible with our planning, pivoting between features as needed.

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Project Description:

The Team is working on website design using Angular, Node.js and NPM. The particular components asked for are revamped website with a more modern look, a live chat, chatbot features and database for user accounts storage.

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Project Description:

“The pandemic has made my job more difficult. When the courts closed, our case numbers doubled because cases were not being resolved… It has become more challenging to stay mentally well during the pandemic, as some of my strategies for self-care were thwarted.” (Victim Service Provider)

Stay-at-home orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic changed the delivery of victim services, increasing the challenges for service providers to support victims and survivors of crime. We were interested in further exploring this topic by answering the following questions in a paper for the Department of Justice:

1. How have pandemic restrictions related to COVID-19 affected the delivery of victim services?
2. How have these workplace changes affected service providers?
3. How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the overall well-being of victim service providers?

In our national survey of 564 service providers across Canada, respondents indicated an increase in workload and that the need to adapt to shifting public health guidelines generated additional stress. Service providers shared different perspectives on how they had been affected by working from home, with some finding it more flexible because the work happened in their own positive space, while others found it more difficult because they felt the work was invading safe spaces in their own homes. The majority of participants working full-time or part-time indicated spending more time working from home during the pandemic. Approximately three in ten service providers who reported these increases also reported a decrease in their work-life balance and 42% reported that their overall mental health had decreased as a result of these changes. More than seven in ten reported that their level of stress had increased. These findings suggest the need for flexible and diverse approaches to service delivery after the pandemic. Greater choices should be available for both victim service providers and survivors about aspects of services that are best suited to meet their needs. Additionally, the increased use of technology has introduced the possibility of survivors meeting with victim service providers or participating in the criminal justice system virtually. For some, this offers a safer and more inclusive service environment, which is worth retaining post-pandemic. However, it also introduces barriers for those without access to technology. Service providers felt that virtual services introduced additional barriers for survivors without access to technology, while providing others with safer and more inclusive access to support. Findings also highlighted a disparity in the resources and compensation available to service providers working in different sub-sectors of victim services. This study also suggests the need for increased and on-going financial support to ensure that victim service organizations are equipped to meet the needs of their clients.

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Project Description:

Powerhouse Designs has been recruited to compose a set of electrical drawings for the first Canadian Passive House Premium residence. This residence is a part of the Passive House Standard, an international standard of building certification that has specific renewable primary energy demands, and in this case requires the generation of renewable energy. This includes plans for the AC and DC wiring, service connection, panel schedule, as well as correct placement for all lights, receptacles, switches, fire alarms and telephone outlets. Since it’s necessary to meet not only the technical requirements but also the safety requirements, it was imperative that all decisions be made and documented following the Canadian Electrical Code book.

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Project Description:

People who are bedridden are often able to adjust the position of their medical bed using a remote control. However, some people are unable to use this remote because of additional mobility issues. Current solutions to this problem are too expensive for most people in these circumstances to afford. This has caused the Tetra Society to propose that an inexpensive voice-activated method of adjusting this type of bed be developed. Because of price constraints, the budget for this project is $500.00. The solution should also provide the ability for helpers and/or caretakers, who are aiding the bedridden person in question, to use the remote in its intended way.

The solution consisted of designing and building a mechanism that could react to voice commands issued to a Google Home to raise or lower the headrest, footrest, and height of a hospital bed. This was accomplished using an ESP32 microcontroller to process commands, and analog feedback servo motors to physically interact with the buttons on the bed remote. The device also has a setup routine where the primary user can calibrate the system, set up the positions of the buttons, and fine tune the control parameters such as what increments in percent they would like to be raised/lowered by.
Fortunately, we were actually able to develop a working prototype for our system to see how it would perform. We ended up testing the system on a calculator instead of a bed remote due to visitation and time constraint issues, but the functionality remains the same. The arm was able to be calibrated and positioned over top of buttons to save the servo angles for when they needed to be called. Then, when a Google home was issued a command like “Hey Google, Raise Head” It would turn on the calculator.

This project was an enjoyable and worthwhile learning experience that has developed a thorough understanding of engineering principles and practices. The project involved designing models on paper, creating them in 3D space within CAD software, and then bringing them to life with 3D printing; or creating custom circuit schematics and PCB layouts to be ordered; along with component lists, and bills of material; or writing user interfaceable programs that operate the system with code derived from control system; and kinematic theory. All of this and more have culminated to be a well encompassed project that has taught us what it takes to develop and construct a consumer worthy product. Though we did not fully flesh out all aspects of the project, with future time and development this project could be turned into a consumer ready device.

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Project Description:

Ingenium is a Crown Corporation overseeing three Ottawa museums, including the Canada Science and Technology Museum, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum and the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum.
Currently, the majority of Ingenium content exists in physical format, however, they are now interested in modernizing and expanding their digital museum offerings to engage audiences more broadly across Canada. Pandemic-related closures of museums underscored the need to do more than just replicate physical museums on a website to attract an online audience as their ongoing challenge is to attract and maintain a loyal audience in the face of immense competition for viewers’ attention.
Our study first sought understanding of museum visitors’ motivations, interests and perspectives. To this end, a literature review was conducted to gain insight into the current thinking on this topic. This led the research team to focus on interactive digital content that fosters co-creation and social connection in adults over 55.
A survey was administered, recruiting via social media and through organizations and groups that target this demographic across Canada. Semi-structured interviews with a sub-sample of survey respondents followed. These data were analysed, revealing a number of key insights, primary among these – this demographic has accessibility needs and values opportunities to learn and to connect socially. From this, Experience Principles and a User Persona were created. Next, the team used these insights and artifacts to ideate potential solutions.
The proposed solution is an online guessing game for grandparents and grandkids and makes use of digital museum artifacts. Grandparents and grandchildren play against each other to gain points. To begin, players create an avatar and select an artifact theme. Each artifact is presented onscreen with the question ‘what is this?’ and a multiple choice response can be selected. After each guess, a brief description of the artifact is given with the option to tag it to learn more post-game. At the end of the game, players are encouraged to share their experiences and even possibly their real-life knowledge of the artifacts in an online guest book, thereby co-creating content for other visitors to view. Players can also share their scores on social media. More advanced versions of the game might include in-game purchases to personalise avatars or the option to purchase merchandise from the online store. Accessibility features ensure the barrier for engagement is low.
This solution accounts for the 55+ group’s desire to learn, to connect to family and share, while meeting accessibility requirements. An additional advantage is that the solution offers Ingenium the opportunity to track interests and use for future marketing strategies.
As a team, we learned that consistent communication was essential for effective group functioning. Also, our research uncovered our assumptions of this demographic, teaching us the value of research in to avoid being led by assumptions. Another valuable lesson was learning to think differently, even with time constraints and required deliverables. UX research requires an expansive, exploratory thinking style, unimpaired by ego and this, while challenging, was very useful to experience.

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Project Description:

The Human Centred Design Institute (HCDI) was approached by Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) to create an opportunity for a student team to gain real world design and development experience. Under the guidance of Research Chair, Professor Jed Looker, our team came together to create a resource repository/information portal for LIP and new Canadians.

As a team we regularly met with primary stakeholders, including manager of LIP Jodi Bucholtz, and her team of staff and student assistants. Through weekly virtual gatherings, we came together offering each of our own unique talents to achieve the end goal we now have. HCDI’s student team contributed to the project via web development, user experience and user design.

The project was completed in several phases across a span of roughly four months beginning in late 2021. The initial phase involved getting familiar with WordPress, gathering ideas and drafting design requirements. The next phase saw development increase as implementation began, alongside a continuing and ever-evolving design process. Then, with a sizeable pool of design requirements on the table development ramped up. From here, consistent work was carried on to fine-tune designs and build out the frame of the article repository. In the ending phases, a huge push to configure and build out each of the 70+ articles written by Jodi and her staff. This content injection phase also involved rounds of user testing to gain valuable feedback on further fine-tuning.

At project end, we finished with a rich, depot of articles, tools, and tips to consult for many of the basics needs and questions a new Canadian might have.

LIPLanarkrenfrew(.ca) is built on the popular content management system, WordPress. Design figures and mock-ups were created using Figma.

You can view our presentation here

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Project Description:

The Transport Canada Airbag Deployment Unit is designed to detonate pyrotechnic devices in a safe and controlled environment.
It uses a custom vice designed to secure devices such as driver airbags, passenger airbags, and seat belt pre-tensioners. This is on top of a Lista workbench and covered by a polycarbonate enclosure to protect people and the environment from possible debris escaping the ignitors.
The deployment unit uses an electrical circuit to ensure that no accidental detonations occur and that the device in question is properly secure in the vice.

The Defect-Related Information on Vehicles and Equipment (D.R.I.V.E) analyses transportation-related accidents and tries to determine the cause so that it can be prevented in the future. Many severe accidents deploy airbags, and sometimes, they can be faulty and injure the vehicle’s occupants more than help them. Transport Canada also receives many unexploded ignitors from accident vehicles. Therefore, they need a safe way to test and/or dispose of them.

Previously, the D.R.I.V.E. team at Transport Canada would attach airbag ignitors to a camera tripod and use long wires to send 9V from a D-battery to detonate the ignitors outside. This was not very safe and could only be done outside.

For our final project, Trevor Lehouillier from Transport Canada tasked us, Project Team F, with solving this issue at the beginning of the fall 2021 term.

The idea for the airbag deployment unit was brought to us by Algonquin College as a collaboration initiative with Transport Canada’s Recall and Defect Department to improve the safety and ease of detonation of vehicular pyrotechnic devices such as airbags, knee bolsters, and seatbelt pre-tensioners.

In most cases, these devices are very safe, designed to detonate within the confines of the cabin of an automobile, and meant to protect the vehicle passengers from serious injuries during motor vehicle accidents. In Transport Canada’s case, the recall and defect investigators are dealing with pyrotechnic devices that have undergone failure during an accident or have been involved in a manufacturer recall by which, their safety standards can no longer be assumed, and they must therefore be treated as volatile and unpredictable explosive devices.

The requirements revolve around increasing the safety precautions and procedures used to investigate these devices by minimizing the risk to the investigative teams. The essential needs expressed by the Recall and Defect Department team focus on allowing for rapid, safe, and efficient detonations all while accounting for unpredictability.
The reasoning for increased handling discretion, as explained by a member of the Transport Canada team, evolved from investigation report data demonstrating evermore unpredictable circumstances of passenger deaths due to minor automobile accidents. Incidents that investigators concluded should have resulted in minimal harm to passengers and no loss of life in which pyrotechnic detonations have been deemed the cause of death due to shrapnel and excessive explosive forces.

The initial information supplied to the project team was conducive to justifying an in-depth exploration of procedure re-evaluation.

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Project Description:

The smartphone app connects to a homebrewing beer machine for the purpose of providing users with an easy install/set-up brewing machine that can be adjusted to meet different beer standards and flavour profiles. Currently brewing beer at home is done manually and usually involves do it yourself set-up. These set-ups are not user-friendly and involves constant monitoring on the spot. Also, the user is limited to only one recipe for brewing the beer.

Currently brewing beer at home is done manually and usually involves do it yourself set-up. These set-ups are not user-friendly and involves constant monitoring on the spot. Also, the user is limited to only one recipe for brewing the beer. With the introduction of PLC (Programmable logic language) controllers the automation of brewing beer at home possible, removing the need for manual handling. Our solution is fully automated and easy to interface via smartphone app, which makes it user-friendly. Our app allows users worldwide to share recipes with each other and the opportunity to interact with each other creating an online community.

This project will include the technical specifications for the Smartphone application and the chips used in the design. The brewing machine is discussed in terms of its logic system, sensors, valves, microcontrollers, and connectivity between the smartphones application and the brewer.

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