Yesterday evening the two teams developing LAIT met for the first time together to share what they’ve accomplished this semester. First the students demonstrated the applications they’d developed. Afterwards we discussed some particulars of the software, and how we might integrate the two efforts into one product next semester.

First the CS492 students showed a system that accepted accelerometer data from two phones and changed color on each phone based upon the amount of activity in both phones. If one phone was shaking a moderate amount, only half of its screen would turn blue, while the other half remained dark. If both phones were shaking a moderated amount, then both sides of the screen would turn blue, indicating that the other phone was also shaking. The same system turned the phones red if the phones were being shaken more rapidly.

This demonstrated LAIT’s ability to:

1. take in user input data
2. send this data to an outside server (the “Message Stream Server”, or MSS)
3. parse and interpret the data on the MSS
4. send an action back to the client mobile devices.

Then the SPIN students demonstrated the fundamental LAIT infrastructure which they have built this semester. A client Unity app searched for a server in its location (in this case, Champaign, IL). Upon finding the server, clicking a button connected the client app to it, and the server instructed it to download a .JSON file that describes a series of actions to execute based upon simple commands from the “Event Server” (or ES). The ES was then shown, and clicking buttons on the ES sent simple cue numbers to the client app, causing the screen either to turn white, or to turn a random color, according to the instructions in the JSON document.

This demonstrated LAIT’s ability to:

1. register a client mobile app with a Master Directory Server (MS)
2. search for local (theatrical) events
3. download relevant instructions for the event
4. connect the client with that event’s server (ES)
5. control the client with the ES

These two demonstrations pointed the way to some future development paths:

1. development of a content creator app (CC) that an “Event Controller” can use to deliver content to clients during a show
2. how to integrate the work of the two teams
3. decide on what is the best protocol for user input data input

The university is going into finals week, then into winter break. While looking forward to the holidays, we are also excited to resume our work in January! Happy Holidays, everyone!!