before the workshop we had on Monday I was anticipating a large self-driven project incorporating all of the skills we had learnt last semester. For the most part I was correct, however the way we’re approaching the project is different from normal. This time we’re thinking about the idea and theme of the project. This means we can’t simply just say that we’re doing an app or an animation then develop something around that, this way we’re much more focussed on what it is we’re trying to pitch and achieve rather than what medium it’s told in. I find this way of doing things challenges us to think about our ideas in much more detail just like a real project would be developed, it also prepares us for the projects we’ll be working on in our third year as we’ll be doing things the same way but in more depth, detail and quantity.
During the workshop, we were tasked with coming up with some ideas and concepts that could be potentially life changing or benefit others and other communities. We were given a few websites to look at, I looked at The European Youth Awards website which is an annual awards show where young people can pitch their ideas and products to large crowds of people in hope that they’ll become a reality. I was especially moved by last year’s health section winner who developed an app for children on the autistic spectrum. Called DayCape it allows kids to plan out their daily schedules in a visual way whilst also offering a direct messaging service to parents whilst at school to offer them support, also allowing parents to comment on how they should be feeling or what emotions they are expressing. As someone who knows the difficulties, Autistic Children have it can be extremely hard to manage emotions and understand yourself and what you are feeling, often not being able to express these to other people such as classmates, friends and even teachers.
Admittedly I couldn’t think of a project idea at first, I thought about a smart watch that tells the user that their health is at risk by constantly checking their pulse and blood pressure. Just like modern day fitness watches do. This watch notify’s people in the immediate area if you’ve collapsed or unconscious, in desperate need of medical care. The watch will make loud sounds and even flash when it’s dark, using a fluorescent rubbery material that glows in the dark. The interface will then detail all of your medical details so people will know how to handle you, conditions, allergies and medication you are currently taking. This would be useful for medical professionals once they arrive as they will be able to automatically be able to track the condition of your heart through the watch and find out crucial information about how to treat the patient.
I received a lot of useful feedback from other people. One idea from someone was that the watch should be narrowed down to more specific people, such as those with heart problems or those who’re susceptible to having strokes. This would be a good idea as then the watch is more tailored for someone’s needs rather than being a general purpose device. Another idea was to have a feature that sends emergency messages to people you know and those who are capable of getting help as soon as possible, using GPS data to pinpoint where you are and send data about how your body is currently performing, such as heart rate, blood pressure or even brain activity. This way help is guaranteed to get to you even if there isn’t anybody around. Another interesting idea that I thought of afterwards was to increase the confidentiality of your information to the medical professionals using Bluetooth or infrared using a special device. This could then mean that the watches could be issued by the NHS and doctors to patients and have the watches tailored exactly to their needs. The watch could then remind patients when to take medication through noises and vibrations and even give out health tips and remind people what they shouldn’t do to optimise their health. Another idea someone gave me was to have a connection to a smart phone, in the form of an app. It could even work on something like the apple watch. This is good as Apple recently took away the feature to have your medical details listed on iPhones, this watch/app could then close the gap and offer more features in the process.
Other people also pitched me their project ideas, one which is a streaming service that streams religious sessions local to your area and an app that’s like Yik-Yak and a modern day version of the neighbourhood watch. The streaming service would have a direct feed from your local parish or place of worship on Sundays for example, intended for those who’re unable to leave the house and make it to church/mosque etc. I really liked this idea as it incorporates more people into their faiths, even when they can’t commune with others for prayer and reflection. The service could even be streamed on TV through a channel, type in a code and have it streamed that way. The Yik-Yak like app is a location and map based service that allows locals to review certain area’s, make comments on places and allow a way to discuss and exchange comments about their communities, turning the Neighbourhood watch into something more virtual, accessible and offers a way of spreading the information quickly. Information can then be collected by local councils and police and allow locals to have a more direct voice. My thoughts was that it’s like trip adviser, allowing people to rate areas, comment on whether or not they’re safe and even comment on whether or not some areas need maintenance.
Both idea’s were wildly different from the idea I thought of. Granted my idea was pulled out of thin air and I had little inspiration to make anything I personally would like to work on. The task now is to both develop the idea I have and come up with other ideas as well.