Mesh Labs

SYNOPSIS

Mesh Labs is a mesh visualization XO application and stand-alone Linux application that will provide alternative XO mesh visualizations. Intended for both developers and regular uses, Mesh Labs will provide 10 different views of the XO mesh network.

IMPLEMENTATION

XO Application

This XO application will use the following libraries:

1. SDL ( Simple Direct Media Library )
2. sugar.*
3. possibly Cario

Linux Application

The Linux application we be ported directly, from the complete XO application.

VISUALIZATION IDEAS

Linear Jump Frog

This first visualization is called "Linear Jump Frog". I thought it would be interesting to rank all users according to their signal strength.

http://www.jwtanner.com/images/svg/line1.svg

Then I thought it would be fun, to have the different users hop over each other as their signal strength increases.

http://www.jwtanner.com/images/svg/line1.html

Planet Activity

This next visualization is called "Planet Activity". The goal was to create a mesh visualization similar tot the OLPC neighborhood, but with space-like theme.

http://www.jwtanner.com/images/svg/planet1.svg

In this picture, the planets represent activities, the more popular the activity, the bigger the planet. If a user has not joined a group activity, he/she sits on an asteroid.

Bump Line

This visualization is called "Bump Line". Similar to "Linear Jump", this visualization shows the level of connected-ness by the size of the bump the users icon sits on.

http://www.jwtanner.com/images/svg/bumpline1.svg

As the users more around closer or further away, each users bump, increases or decreases in real-time.

Ski Jump

This next visualization is called "Ski Jump". Pretty simple idea, all users connected on the mesh queue up and take turns going down the ski jump. The users signal strength will determine the jump height.

http://www.jwtanner.com/images/svg/ski1.svg

As you can see on the left the users mark their jump height after every jump.

http://www.jwtanner.com/images/svg/ski1.html

In this animation, a user has increased his signal strength and moved up the height rankings.

PROJECT SCHEDULE

Before the official start ( May 10 - 26th )

• Talk to OLPC mentor, get tips on where to start, and revise spec

• Dive into the code for Sugar, Presence, Cario get to know the API's

 up close and personal

• Do the current API's meets the requirements for this project? If not

 propose creating new API methods to meet the requirements or revise spec

Week #1 ( May 26th - May 30th )

• Finalize spec with mentor

Week #2 ( June 2nd - June 6th )

• Implement paper ( or photoshop ) prototype of the new design for

 Groups and Neighborhoods

Week #3 ( June 9th - 13th )

• Review paper prototype, by mentor, and anyone else at OLPC

• Run initial usability testing with mentor, and possible UVIC professors

• Make changes and finalize paper prototype, update the spec

Week #4 to #5 ( June 16th - July 4th )

• Start implementing missing API methods if necessary

• Start creating working prototype ( eg all graphic elements in place,

 but not all functionality )

Week #6 ( July 7th to July 11th )

• Revise working prototype based feedback from mentor, and other staff

 members, update spec
 

Week #7 to #8 ( July 14th - July 25th )

• Implement fully functional prototype

Week #9 to #10 ( July 28th to August 1st )

• Run usability hallway testing with random people at UVIC
• Run usability hallway testing with group of children ( legality? )

Week #11 ( August 4th to August 8th )

• Does the fully functional prototype work as planned?

Week #12 - #13 ( August 25th to August 29th )

• Wrap up any final tests / last minute usability tests

• Does the final implementation pass security requirements?

• Add documentation to the wiki