Name: Prep Time

Description: A website for local citizens that accepts donations for distribution to members as well as provide a service where our team work with local citizens with being prepared for storms and disaster.

My idea derived from when Hurricane Sandy hit my neighborhood. We all lost power; therefore we all pitched in to ensure that our neighbors had everything that they needed from ice, to batteries and so forth. The storm also showed us how unprepared we were for something like what occurred. My project is a member website where locals can join and buy items that is needed in the Case of an emergency. These items will be available for delivery to your home upon request (24-48 hours delivery time). We all know that losing power is a big issue during the storm; therefore the site offers services that will follow up with you during the time of a storm. We will first try to contact you via phone, and if we are unsuccessful doing so, we will make a trip to your home to provide you with your emergency kit that you set up on our website.

The material used consist only of my laptop, design software and a server to host the website.

With regards to test cases, I would promote the website locally via flyers, local papers and radio commercials to see how many people that I could get to sign up. Offer a free trial and send surveys to the members for feedback.

http://youtu.be/4KaqeIT6GJ8

Virtual Civic Notifier

Flowchart

We got attached to the game we thought up, so we’re sticking with it. Mostly. We’re going to set our game in the the post cybernetic apocalypse (organic computers got invented, people stuck em in our brains, and after a while the computers realized people suck and killed those who stuck em in their heads!) where resources and trading makes your life a looot easier. You COULD play by yourself, but you’d have a much easier time trading with other people around the world (in later development, your location would determine your resources).

Flow chart:

Wireframe:

During hurricane sandy we saw the best and some times the worst come out of people. A lot of our emergency responders did great work before, during and after the hurricane. We are planing to make a game using bender that will involve you driving a ambulance during the hurricane. Objectives will include picking up and dropping off items and getting to places with in a certain amount of time.Objectives will differ depending on how well you complete the last one and what “time of day it is in the game”. Once you complete you “shift” the game will be over and you will receive a score.

Team Disco Ninjas: Michael Perez, Phillip Zak

Title: Static Cloud

Description: Due to the severity of the hurricane that has affected our area we decided to create a map that can be accessed by those affected. We plan on using maps and identifying locations that have offered a service of some kind to those less fortunate. Whether it is a phone charging station to food and clothing banks, we will identify these locations and provide some basic information. We will also add a web chat where users can hop on and talk to each other and put each other into contact because what we need in this time is to stand together.

Project Title : “Pocket Gopher”

During the chaos time of hurricane Sandy, we were shocked because we realized we did not have enough information of our neighborhood. We did not know when a subway would run, which gas station actually had gas, or where is the shelter, shuttle bus stop, and so on.

So, I thought it would be great if we had a mobile application which we can share information in our town. The base is very similar to ‘Twitter’, but the difference is when someone post useful information of certain area, you can get a alert text message if you are in the same (or near) area.

For example, if you happen to know that every train service is suspended between Jay st. and 42 st. Time Sq. due to the heavy rain, you can post about this via the application “pocket gopher”. Then, the server automatically sort out the location and send message to all the members in the area (Jay st / 42 st Time Sq.)

I named this project “pocket gopher” because as you know, gophers (ground squirrels) are altruistic animals. They frequently stand watch at the entrance to their tunnels and whistle when predators are spotted, causing all the other gophers to run for the safety of the tunnels. Just like this, you can help lots of people with posting valuable information via “pocket gopher”.

<Idea sketch>

<Flowchart>

Members:

David Alvarado

Alexis Shuffler

The idea:

So for this project with the theme of hurricane sandy in mind, we decided to come up with a video game based on the event.

The Game:

If you’ve ever played the computer game: “Oregon Trail”, this will seem very similar. You play as the father of a family of two kids. The hurricane has hit and there wont be any help for about a month. The goal of the game is to make it to the end of the month with everyone alive and well. To do this, you start off with a set amount of money to buy supplies for preparation, then the hurricane hits. You need to make your supplies last while dealing with the natural conditions. This can include the cold and lack of food. As you survive, you’ll have neighbors as well that you can choose  to help or not. Helping them isn’t required but it can give you very good bonuses in the future, such as extra supplies. A score system will be implemented to tally how well you do at the end. Low scores result from poor care of your family while high score are a result of the opposite. One social aspect of the game we are hoping to include is cooperative play between two people.

Flowchart:

Wireframes:

These three images are supposed to represent the UI for the game. The little window on the lower right will switch menus for the status of your supplies, family and the neighborhood itself.

Big Bang – (Ian, Rosa)

1. Virtual Civic notifier
2. Online census registration or renewal
3. Instead of the government ‘s antiquated system of registration and renewal for mandatory census audits. The new virtual system would
alleviate the burden of cost by individuals (costs of stamps) as well embody the going green current social accepted mentality by saving
paper and tree.

Summation

Upon initial contact from the government to fulfill your civic duties, they will get a letter informing them to log on to the website and fill out the questionnaire. A new requirement in the questionnaire will be the addition personal email address. This is important because now it alleviate previous problems with tracking a person’s current address with their name. With the new system, your identity by your email address instead of your address. With the old system, often times, when a person moves they don’t report the move. So the census application was sent to their previous address instead of the current. With the new system, your email address will always stay the same unless you  change it, or if you don’t response to the email and/or submit your online application, you will be mailed a paper copy of the questionnaire and failure notice of compliance. Once census is complete, you would get email confirmation and access to whatever is allowed for public view in regards to that year’s census. Another advantage to the email questionnaire will be, not only the ability to update your information but to also applied for selected service, employee to census, where you are able to submit your temporary employment application. The site can also be used as a segway to view other links to where public information is accessible. The site is another way to be notified for jury selection. You can register to vote.

Influences

The social contribution to this site would be to encourage and repair civilians participation in civic duties. It also embraces communication between government bodies and society as to alleviate disconnection and for the public  to engage in the democratic process, by providing easy access and accountability. The process aids the government by increasing the accuracy of the flow and retention of information gathered. For example with the census, increasing the accuracy will a lot for government spending to be disbursed in areas that need it the most. With the accessibility of new technologies we are not only able to cut cost, but also speed up the response time involved in gathering information accurately. The internet is proving itself to be an invaluable tool in increasing communication between government bodies and the public.

Materials

1. Photoshop

2. Dreamweaver

3. Illustrator

4. Web hosting/ secure domain

5. Paper/Pencil for prototype

6. Internet

Budget

$20.00

Final cost-$0 to create

WIRE FRAME

The image that I caught my attention is Edmonds Halley’s 1686 chart showing trade winds and Monsoons on a world map. I’m personally a visual learner therefore I’m all for maps and graphs. This image provides a lot of important information, especially given the time that it was created. With the new technology and new information that we have learned since 1686, certainly there is information that can be added.

If I was to add anything, I would add maybe the frequency of these storms; maybe by seasons according to the location. I do question the accuracy of the information provided. The design is simple and I feel that it only display what is needed.