Name:
Tablets for Graduate/Undergraduate Research in Augmented Reality & Mobile GIS
FiscalYear:
2014
Audience:
Science, College of
Submitter:
Gammack-Clark, James
Budget Manager:
Blanchard, Dominique
Project Manager:
Gammack-Clark, James P.
Dept. Chair:
Roberts, Charles E
Local IT:
N/A
Dean:
Ivy, Russell L.
Facilities:
N/A
OIT:
Bagdonas, Joseph A.
Year 1:
$ 8,980.00
Year 2:
$ 0.00
Year 3:
$ 0.00
Total:
$ 8,980.00
The Department of Geosciences wishes to acquire a number of tablets in order to facilitate research at both the graduate and undergraduate level. Specifically, this would be geared towards three different areas of research: 1. Augmented Reality, 2. Mobile GIS, and 3. Surveys for Undergraduate/Graduate Research.
Augmented Reality (AR) offers a mixed view of our environment. Through these devices we are able to observe the physical world about us with our normal sight, but this view is also enhanced/augmented by adding virtual computer generated information to it. AR is set to become ever more pervasive in our society, as has already been seen in products such as Google Glass and in Heads-Up-Displays (HUDs) of luxury vehicles. Tablets such as the IPad offer all of the necessary components required for a successful AR in a single, user friendly device. AR will be the subject of research at the graduate level. It will also be incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum in the class Geovisualization and GIS (GIS 4138). This class is taught each Fall semester and averages about 20 students. This system will allow students to digitally model future developments and then visualize them on site before a single shovel breaks earth. This make for a very powerful planning tool. This specifically supports the University’s QEP by increasing exposure of students to research inquiry and the scientific methods in the Geosciences' curriculum.
Mobile GIS (Geographic Information Systems) offers our undergraduate and graduate students a tool to acquire spatial data in the field to support both class projects and student research. The Geosciences Department, with the support of Tech Fee Grants, has previously acquired professional grade GPS receivers to meet this goal. However, the latest trend is for professional organizations to supplement their professional receivers with tablets. This greatly enhances the productivity of an organization by freeing the professional grade receivers from those tasks where high precision is not required. Students graduating from our program are thus increasingly expected to have mastered this skillset. The following classes utilize GIS equipment and would thus benefit from the acquisition of these tablets:
When conducting research, both faculty and students often need to conduct surveys of their target population. The acquisition of these tablets would greatly assist this process by providing a user friendly platform to the subjects of the survey. Furthermore, by generating data in a structured digital form, the quality of the captured data is greatly improved by reducing the number of errors generated at data entry. This in turn speeds research as digitization of hard copy responses is not required, and the data is already in the necessary format for subsequent analysis.
In addition, this grant will meet the following goals of the University's strategic plan:
Goal 1: Enrich the Educational Experience. Students taking advantage of this technology will be on the cutting edge of their industry. They will have the very latest skills in the burgeoning Augmented Reality industry, and will be adept in the latest trends in collect spatial data in the field. Therefore, it meets the following stated objectives of Goal 1 of the Strategic Plan: Enhance the quality of undergraduate academic programs; Strengthen and expand graduate programs; Invest in the faculty.
Goal 2: Inspire Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. This acquisition of this technology is specifically intended to meet this goal, for both faculty and for students at the graduate and undergraduate level. For example, Doctoral Research will investigate whether the use of AR can empirically improve education in the Geosciences. In addition, as mentioned, there are numerous surveys that would benefit from digital capture of input data. For these reasons, this proposal embodies the principles laid forth by Goal 2 of the Strategic Plan: Increase scholarship and creativity; Increase funded research; Enhance the regard and visibility of our research, scholarship and creativity; Strengthen and support interdisciplinary research and its visibility in the University; Involve students at all levels in research, scholarship and creative activity; Foster new types of research funding.
Goal 5: Building a State-of-the-Art Information Technology Environment. Mobile GIS and Augmented Reality represent some of the latest technologies being employed by private and public sectors involved in solving today's significant human and environmental issues. For our department to provide a state-of-the-art GIS technology program, we need a strong program in both of these fields.
The following hardware shall be acquired:
10 x Refurbished iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular – $4,390
10 x Otterbox Defender Cases - $990
| Fiscal Year 1 | Fiscal Year 2 | Fiscal Year 3 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware One-Time | $ 5,380.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 5,380.00 |
| Hardware Recurring | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 |
| Software One-time | $ 3,600.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 3,600.00 |
| Software Recurring | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 |
| Personnel One-time | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 |
| Personnel Recurring | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 |
| Other One-time | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 |
| Other Recurring | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 |
| Totals | $ 8,980.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 0.00 | $ 8,980.00 |
| Filename | Size | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Otterbox.pdf | 417,626b | Capture web site depicting otterbaox case for iPad |
| refurbished-ipad-ai.pdf | 277,048b | Capture web site depicting iPad Air |