Pre-Test

In mid-January the team started programming using the Android software. We tested making a basic user interface and the ability to show maps on the device. Our test with the user interface was successful. We modified our original Hello World app to be able to take in user input. ie. Users could write their own message, instead of Hello World. The map test did not get the results we wanted. After coding and uploading the application on the device we were shown a map of the world but the application could not pinpoint our location.

GUI

On February 24 the team started coding and testing the GUI interface we want to use for our application. Instead of modifying the Hello World application like in previous test this will require making a new application from the ground up. There is a preview screen in the Android SDK program. It allows us to view the application and test out buttons. Now the GUI screen is complete and we can move on the more difficult aspects of the application. For a look at the preview screen please refer to figure 6 below. The GUI was completed on March 1^st.

Figure 6

Communication

Now that the GUI is finished, the team will start testing communication on our application. During this coding period we will need multiple meetings with our faculty advisor Dr. Venkatraman and Dr. Howard, to help us with this process.

The team has updated their research on the communication system of the project and has decided to use the following elements for the system.

1- VOIP- Voice Over Internet Protocol

The team can use VOIP to let the users communicate with each other, The VOIP is provided in the android application. All what the team has to do is to implement it using Android software. The VOIP is a tool that can take an input which can be a voice input and convert that input into a digital signal and send that signal to the internet, after the signal is being sent to the internet, the signal can go from the internet to the designated device but it has to be converted back to what it was originally.

2- SIP- Session Initiation Protocol

SIP is for initialing, managing and terminating sessions in the internet. These sessions can be voice, text, video, or a combination of these. SIP is also provided with the android application. SIP can be used in our command center application.

We hope to complete this section of the code by March 13^th. As we are three man group and this is a programing process no one person is in charge of any test. We must test the application together to simulate the way this application will be used. One person cannot test communication on their own.

GPS

Testing the GPS was rather simple. After loading the application onto an Android phone one of the team members had to walk or drive around and see if their location was staying accurate. As it turns out the starting location is always inaccurate, if you are in a building it will usually show your location as outside the building. Once we started moving outside the location became much more accurate. If the tester was walking the location was accurate up to three feet. However while driving the tracker on the application could not keep up, and would jump across the screen. It became apparent then that we had to update how often our location was being checked and make it happen more often.