Work Package 5 – Time Portal Design and Prototype

Industrial Research – Staff capacity: 12,11 PM, external labour: 4.995,00 EUR

Goal of the Work Package in Overall Project Context

The time portal is set to be developed as a physical interface to the platform of “Professor S.” It will create an illusion of direct physical communication, through time and space, with Professor S. and his assistant Jeanette. This will add to the realistic feeling of the story of “Professor S.” and be the first step towards the development of a Web 3.0 platform.

Results of Completion of the Work Package

a function design of the time portal
a functioning prototype of the time portal
a functioning Android app for incorporating external devices into the time portal’s hardware
a functioning hypermedia API for incorporating the time portal’s hardware to web servers

Technological Risk of the Work Package

The developed circuits have to be able to successfully communicate with servers and other electronical components. This partially depends on the successful completion of WP5.4. Also, the production costs have to be according to the projected costs. The components, especially micro computers, have to stand up to the conditions in the classroom and rough handling. The plan is to develop components and circuits from scratch in order to keep the costs low. Should the developed components not stand up to the testing conditions, existing products can be incorporated.

Through the hypermedia API, client integration will be made easier through the use of a semantic structure. Successful utilization of the automatic recognition of URI endpoints data structures by the client system is the final control of success. The semantic communication of the affordance of URI endpoints and data structures is in the early stages of development. The risk that is the result of the expenditure of time during the development of this structure shall be minimized through the parallel generation of a traditional API documentation.

Description of the Work Package

Through iterative steps, a prototype of the time portal will be manufactured. The prototype will be utilized at several schools and then redesigned and rebuilt considering user feedback. The result of this process will be a functioning object with electronic components that visibly resembles a time machine/portal. The production version of the time portal will be planned and developed based on the prototype and under consideration of constructional requirements.

Work Package 5.1 – Design

Here, the shape of the time portal will be developed, meaning the phyical appearance, the placement of its electronic components and mechanical functions. In order to do so, the perceptional world of children between the ages of 9 and 12 years will be researched in talks with other children, teachers and psychologists. The design will be created to be appealing to teachers and children alike and be easy to incorporate into the class room. This step also includes the search for materials which can be used for manufacturing the prototype.

Work Package 5.2 – Prototype Manufacturing

The development of the prototype includes the selection and the acquisition of suitable electronic and body relevant parts. These components shall then be assembled to a “box” and programmed in a way that it can communicate and process commands through a micro computer. This micro computer will then be programmed in a way that makes an exchange of data with a server possible and also the automatic download and installation of software upgrades.

Draft sketch of the time portal

Work Package 5.3 – Android Application

Here, an Android application will be developed which allows incorporation of different Android devices into the time portal hardware. This will for example allow to use an external Android device as screen for displaying videos and GUIs (for example in the geolocation game WP2.4).

Work Package 5.4 – Hardware API Programming

Here, an API will be developed, allowing integration of the time portal hardware into the platform. Thereby, communication of hardware components with the platform of “Professor S.” will be possible and control signals and data can be exchanged with web servers.

Work Package 5.5 – Test Phase (Milestone)

In this step, the prototype of the time portal will be tested at five participating schools. All developed functions like data communication with the server, remote control and mechanical elements will be made use of and tested in real class room situations. The feedback of the participating users will be documented and used in the redesign and construction process of the product version.