CoolCampus Summer Projects 2005-2006

Sensor-based Navigation for the Monash Guide-bot: Prem Prakash Jayaraman

Supervisor: A/Prof. Arkady Zaslavsky

Let the robot show you the way. Existing navigation systems such as Navman, Magellan, Garmin and so on are able to guide drivers to destinations in unknown territories without the need to lead the way. On the other hand, guide dogs are able to lead the way in familiar situations or territories. This project proposes integrating the Scorpion robot (http://www.evolution.com) with wireless positioning and sensors such as RFID. This project aims to demonstrate the potential of such a system in CoolCampus applications such as robot tour guide or robot-guide for the disabled.

Project duration: 13 weeks

Pre-requisites: Hardware and software required for demonstration purposes include RFID kit, Scorpion robot and ER1 Robot. Student undertaking the project must be familiar with the Linux operating system and C++.

[pdf, 234KB ]

Augmenting Everyday Objects with Context-Aware Services: Evi Syukur

Supervisor: Dr. Seng Wai Loke

As Web service technology evolves, the idea of context-aware services gains more interest. An idea is that different sets of mobile services will dynamically drop into the users' devices depending on their contexts. We will investigate the viability of everyday objects (e.g., a cup in a room,a painting in a museum, etc.) and appliances to communicate with users or with other embedded or non-embedded computing devices in an environment. The communication here can be in two forms:
  1. between an object and a user by sending and downloading information (service) onto a user's mobile device. The service here is aware of the user's current contexts/situations. Depending on the
     type of an object (e.g., non-computing or computing objects)  or appliance, a service may also contain an interface which allows users control over the object or appliance
  2. between an object and software components by sending a message, alert or notification to a system.

This project aims to develop context-aware mobile services that take into account user/object's contexts in a pervasive environment. Several contexts information that will be exploited are a user's current location, a user identity, object identity, day and time. A RFID tag and reader will be used in this project for retrieving an identity of an entity (can be a person or an everyday object).

 Project duration: 10-12 weeks.

[pdf, 305KB ]