This category represents projects that use very common technology and/or are based on very solid principles. There should not be very many, if any, unknowns or path-altering complications. There is an expectation that the students should be able to arrive at a fully functioning prototype that the industry client can use with very little, if any, additional effort. An example of this type of project would be to implement films, animations, games, or interactive for a given purpose.
For these types of projects, the students would be expected to have a complete initial design no later than mid semester and finish production be semester’s end. It is possible to arrange, for larger productions, multi- semester phases of production should design or production phases warrant it.
This category represents projects for which the technology may be sound but it’s not obvious how everything will work together and there may be some significant complications. There may need to be some proof-of-concept work done before critical design decisions need to be made. Having a solid prototype by the end December may be part of the project description and should be strived for, but it is plausible that the team may not be able to get that far during the 4 month working period. An example of this type of project would be to add new features to an existing product or retrofit an old design with new technology.
For these types of projects, the students would be expected to have all of their difficult proof of concepts nailed down by the end of the fall semester and possibly a good start towards an initial design. The second semester (spring) should be used to complete and refine the design. The students may not be able to get through as many design cycles as the Category 1 projects.
This category represents projects for which the technology is not fully tested, may not yet be invented, needs extensive user testing or pushes the limits of technology. This type of project is mostly, if not all, proof of concept work so that the students should expect to encounter challenges and may have to substantially change their approach to the solution. A prototype may be expected, but this prototype will most likely not be anywhere close to a production level. An example of this type of project would be the design of a component for which the client is not exactly sure how, or if it is even possible, to implement. The students would be required to create a substantial amount of their own development and content.
For these types of projects, there is a higher level of responsibility for the students to document their progress and rationalize their decisions. While there is an expectation for a deliverable, there is also an understanding that serious challenges may be encountered that prevent them from completing it. The burden of proof for establishing that understanding lies on the students.
This category represents projects for which the deliverable is not so much a particular item as it is the exploration of a question or hypothesis. These types of projects are focused on a particular endeavor, but the path is much more open ended because the deliverables are focused on the analysis of experimental results. Examples of these types of projects are academic research and comparative studies to determine optimal solutions. Past projects that would fit into this category include the exploration of Augmented Reality solutions for education, 3D printing for medical applications, and Virtual Reality experiences connected to various technologies.
For these types of projects, there is an expectation that the students will produce quality conclusions based on sound scientific experimentation and reasoning. The students may experience setbacks and changes in direction as all open-ended research projects do, but these experiences should be reflected in their conclusions and should be justified adequately.
