A park experience and a traceability tool were among the research projects that 24 students on the ISS Master of Technology’s programme undertook as part of their research elective in 2012.
A team delved deep into data to deliver a rich interactive experience for park visitors. In another project, students sought to produce a simple traceability tool that would help programmers maintain links between the software and its corresponding test artefacts. Yet another, the development of a system that would allow co-creation of outcome-based contractual agreement. The last project aimed to develop a tool for visualising the traceability between design decisions and the software models.
Said Swarnalatha Ashok, Chief of Advanced Technology Applications Practice at ISS, “Each year, about 25% to 30% of our students choose the research elective because it allows them to pickup research skills systematically.”
Available since 2008, the research elective is unique as it focuses on applied research compared to the typical fundamental research offered by other institutes.
She added, “The most exciting aspect of this elective is that the students get to learn and play with state-of-the-art technology as our research projects are centred on the latest technology and trends.”
Students are offered three research pathways, each offering different learning points and skills. They can choose to develop a software system using an Agile methodology and in doing so, pick up the dynamics of Agile software development and how to work as an Agile team member. Alternatively, they can undertake case study-based research that focuses on innovative application so that they learn how to analyse real-world problems and come up with solutions. The third option allows them to explore the use of knowledge engineering techniques and data analytics and apply them to real-world applications.
Project #1: Park-Tap
Park-Tap is a project to enhance the experience of visitors to parks, theme parks and exhibitions. Students explored how an android application can be developed with a rich interface to present park visitors with spatial knowledge and real-time information about the venue and engage interactively with these visitors.
A prototype was developed.
Project #2: Yunakti
‘Yunakti’ translates to ‘bind’ or ‘trace’ in Sanskrit. The project sought to alleviate the task of maintaining software throughout its lifetime. As software evolves, there is a corresponding evolution of links between various software and test-ware artefacts. However, developers often fail to update the links, leading to difficulty in identifying relationships, performing impact analysis and estimation of efforts during project maintenance and future regressions testing. Students sought to develop a simple traceability tool that aids in managing the traceability links between software and test-ware artefacts.
The tool developed will help an ISS researcher in her PhD studies.