Suma is the most practical and reliable way to do this right now, I think.

I've been investigating using a sensor network, but there are a lot of
limits on the accuracy of PIR, and trip-lasers are low enough and require
enough power that they'd be troublesome to maintain in a busy undergraduate
environment.

One idea was to use an array of sensors:  PIR for motion, microphone for
noise level and piezo/something similar for vibration.  The thought is that
elevated levels of these 3 measurements should correspond to "high
activity".  The placement and calibration of the sensors, though, would be
key, and you'd need to do some thorough spot checking with Suma or something
similar in order to be confident that what you're measuring (motion, noise
and vibration) actually correlate to number of people.

The sensors would also need to be made out of cheap enough materials and use
low-congestion wireless frequencies in order to be practical.  Balancing
this with accuracy may never happen... but it would certainly be a fun
experiment!


-Ian


-----Original Message-----
From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Andreas Orphanides
Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2013 9:27 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Way to record usage of tables/rooms/chairs in
Library

In that case, Suma is probably your thing.

On Thu, Aug 15, 2013 at 7:49 PM, Thomas Misilo <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Thank you all for the suggestions. I guess I should be a little more 
> specific. I am looking for something that can be loaded up on a tablet 
> (ipad and/or nexus 7), and have the laylout of the floor + chairs and 
> tables.
>
> We are wanting to track usage of specific carrels and tables in 
> different locations on the floor. To determine if they are in a good 
> place or if they need to be repositioned or repurposed.
>
> Thanks again!
> s
> Tom
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf 
> > Of stuart yeates
> > Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2013 6:43 PM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Way to record usage of tables/rooms/chairs 
> > in Library
> >
> > Many buildings have IR sensors already installed for burglar alarms 
> > /
> fire
> > detection. If you can get a read-only feed from that system you may 
> > be
> able
> > to piggyback.
> >
> > Of course, these kinds of sensors are tripped by staff making 
> > regular
> rounds
> > of all spaces and similar non-patron activity.
> >
> > cheers
> > stuart
> >
> > On 16/08/13 06:33, Brian Feifarek 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
> > >>>
> > >>
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Stuart Yeates
> > Library Technology Services http://www.victoria.ac.nz/library/
>