UC Parking Lights

This is a great idea! However, I think it may still be difficult to determine if a table is occupied if it is behind a pillar or wall. (It definitely helps with figuring out if tables far away are occupied though.) Maybe you could consider adding an app to your system that CMU students can download with has a map on it that they can check as they are looking for a seat, rather than just having a large map that could be hard to read, especially if many people are gathered around it?

I like this idea. and how you thought out solutions to many possible problems- specifically the "share a table" problem. Many times the "share a table" signs that people place on their tables can be somewhat awkward because you don't know if it was just left there or if the person sitting there actually doesn't mind sharing a table. Having the option to actively press a button that turns the "share a table" signal on makes sharing it easier.

Also, the maps would probably be more helpful than the lights themselves. It might be hard to see the lights from a distance, especially when most tables are taken and you are looking carefully for that one green light.

I really like the idea and the detailed design picture, UC do get very crowded and it is hard to find a seat. However,I agree that cost will be a big problem, having a weight sensor under each chair is at great cost. It may get damaged or lost. Also, if there are a lot of people trying to find seat, it is still really hard to see the light. Maybe instead of lights, an app that shows where the seats are open is better?

I really appreciated this project because I have experienced this problem myself. I really enjoyed your solution and I liked how you even thought about what would happen if people didn't mind sharing a table. The only thing I would comment on is your choice of light color. Because the tables are not so far apart from each other, having a green, red, or yellow light above each table can mean that it may serve as a distraction to other tables (since having a table glow green next to you might draw your attention). Also, one the table is occupied, is it necessary for the light to glow red? Why not have the indicator light just go off completely?

I agree with Christina about the app. It would also be cool if the app had a reservation function in it (so you could reserve a table for a set amount of time). That might be difficult to enforce, or to keep fair, but it might also help.

Great idea. It reminds me of parking lights in newer parking lots. This idea is really convenient, as I find myself searching for seats for what feels like forever.

I am still not really convinced this technology would help reduce traffic, as green light will pretty much be the same as seen an open table. Though I do think the digital map is a good idea.

This definitely sounds like a good idea, but as other people have said and you somewhat addressed in the writeup it may be a little impractical to execute it the way you have defined it now. The app definitely sounds useful, or making the lighting system simpler where something like light on is open and light off is taken.

I think this is a good solution to the problem, but I also think that it creates some other interesting questions. You address the fact that an overhanging light might be distracting, but I think that alone is a critical issue that requires more attention. In addition, such a setup creates expectations - a green light means open. This prevents people from getting up to get water or perform any other action that would cause them to leave the table as the weight sensors would indicate that the seat is free. Perhaps that's actually a good thing though, in a situation where there are few tables for many people. Regardless, this is one of the more creative ways of addressing the problem, and it definitely has the potential to reduce a lot of headache!

This is an interesting idea to solve the problem of packed UC during lunch hours. However, have you thought about the need of a bigger table versus a smaller table for different sizes of groups? From your description, it seems like each light corresponds to a table, and the map would only show the location of the table rather than the size. If there is a group of 8 people trying to find a table, they would probably want something by the swimming pool. Also, if the table is only partially occupied, it would be nice to know how many more empty seats there are; if there is only one person at a 8-seat table, a group of 6 people should be able to know that that table is available.

This is a great idea. Like some of the other people said, I see some problems with the lighting system, and I don't even think it's necessary. As long as there's a display somewhere with a map of the open tables, and maybe another display that just says how many tables are open (so you will quickly know if all the tables are taken), that will save a lot of time and energy looking for places to sit. Additionally, just like some of the above commenters, I think an app that displays this information would be very useful. Looking at your phone and seeing that there are no open tables before even walking to the UC would save a lot of unnecessary trips. I see a lot of potential with this idea and I hope it's implemented one day.

My group tried to solve a similar problem for seating in Hunt, so it's interesting to compare and contrast the two designs. I'm going to specifically consider the lights above tables. I think people might oppose installing such equipment because it would significantly change the appearance of the space and have considerable cost, while making only a small difference to function (as others have mentioned, looking for a light and looking for a person sitting there aren't too different). Granted, as far as sharing tables goes, the light would probably work better than the signs used now, but is there a simpler solution that would serve as well?

Thanks for the feedback. I agree using an app will definitely prove to be more helpful than having one digital map that everyone will crowd around.
Also, it does seem more practical to have the light turn off when a table is occupied to both be less distracting and also be more energy efficient.
I agree with Anna's concern and I feel we should definitely allow people to see not only if a table is open, but how many chairs are empty at a certain table. We already addressed the problem with the chairs being moved around to other tables and by having weight sensors that connect to a signal that can also be displayed on the screen would be extremely helpful.

Having read a lot of the feedback that this idea has gotten, I would agree that the lights could be a distracting and occasionally inaccurate way of representing where there are open seats. I think that maps that indicate where there are open seats in the main entrance areas of the UC's second floor would be enough to show users where they can find a place to eat/work rather than having them hunt down a disruptive green light. I agree that the idea of an app would be cool, but, for the most part, unnecessary for this project. I feel that most people would not want to download an app dedicated to finding a seat in the UC when there are maps that are capable of doing so conveniently located there already. However, it would be a nice feature in a larger CMU oriented app that had other services. Eric Wang mentioned that this implementation wouldn't actually help reduce the traffic at the UC and I agree with his observation. This idea was an attempt to ease the difficulty of finding a seat at the UC during peak lunch hours. However, it doesn't address the fundamental problem and realistically there are times when there isn't any vacant places to sit. This is something that I'm currently thinking about and trying to solve.