Or -- what about piezoelectric sensors mounted to the underside of the
tables? It would be highly dependent on the table and the sensor, but you
could probably assume that anything above X noise level in the sensor
represents "table usage".

On Thu, Aug 15, 2013 at 2:41 PM, Toby Greenwalt
<[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> Depending on the size of the space you're working with, you could totally
> do this with a Kinect. I'm not completely sure on how far you could go with
> the coding, but you could probably use it to track the length of time
> people sit at a given location.
>
> The drawback here would likely be people getting squicked out about the
> panopticon-ness of it all, but you could probably even turn it into an
> exhibit of source - if nothing else then to demonstrate that you're just
> scanning stick-figure outlines and not full recordings of people.
>
>
> On Thu, Aug 15, 2013 at 1:33 PM, Brian Feifarek <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> > Motion sensors might be the ticket.  For example,
> > https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8630
> >
> > Brian
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Andreas Orphanides" <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2013 11:12:02 AM
> > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Way to record usage of tables/rooms/chairs in
> > Library
> >
> > Oh, that's a much better idea than light sensors. One challenge with that
> > might be difficulty in determining what "vacant" looks like
> > authoritatively, especially if people move chairs, walk through room,
> etc.
> > But much more accessible than actually bolting stuff to the table, I
> would
> > think.
> >
> > On Thu, Aug 15, 2013 at 1:03 PM, Schwartz, Raymond <[log in to unmask]
> > >wrote:
> >
> > > Hey Dre, Perhaps a video camera with some OpenCV?
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
> Of
> > > Andreas Orphanides
> > > Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2013 8:55 AM
> > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Way to record usage of tables/rooms/chairs in
> > > Library
> > >
> > > If I were feeling really ambitious -- and fair warning, I'm a big
> > believer
> > > that any solution worth engineering is worth over-engineering -- I'd
> come
> > > up with something involving light sensors (a la a gate counter) mounted
> > on
> > > the table legs, just above seat height. Throw in some something
> something
> > > Arduino or Raspberry Pi, and Bob's your uncle.
> > >
> > > I find myself more intimidated by the practicality of maintaining such
> a
> > > system (batteries, cord management etc) than about the practicality of
> > this
> > > implementation, actually.
> > >
> > > -dre.
> > >
> > > On Wed, Aug 14, 2013 at 7:59 PM, Thomas Misilo <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi,
> > > >
> > > > I was wondering if anyone has been asked before to come up with a way
> > > > to record usage of tables.
> > > >
> > > > The ideal solution would be a web app, that we can create floor plans
> > > > with where all the tables/chairs are and select the "reporting time",
> > > > say 9PM at night. Go around the library and select all the
> > > > seats/tables/rooms that are currently being used/occupied for
> > > statistical data.
> > > >
> > > > We would be wanting to go around probably multiple times a day.
> > > >
> > > > The current solution I have seen is a pen and paper task, and then
> > > > someone will have to manually put the data into a spreadsheet for
> > > analysis.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks!
> > > >
> > > > Tom
> > > >
> > >
> >
>