Project ideas for taught masters course

WithCheesePlease

Ok, getting pretty desperate here.

I need to find a project idea for a taught MEng course. I've completed 2 semesters of classes and exams, now just need to do the project / mini-thesis part.

This needs to be something I can have completed and written up by the end of August. While also working a full time job and holding down a girlfriend and other hobbies. I know, pretty tight. Can anyone suggest anything or point me in the direction of any good sites with project ideas?

My background is in C# / ASP.NET and SQL. But would also be familiar enough with C++.

Any suggestions would be HUGELY appreciated...

Tom Dunne

Forget about looking at websites for inspiration, look a lot closer to home.

Can you see any real-world problems that need fixing? Either in work, at home, anywhere?

WithCheesePlease

I completely agree with you Tom (if that is your real name ). This would be a hell of a lot easier if I could come up with something that I was genuinely interested in. Trouble is I've been racking my brain trying to come up with something but just can't!

Was hoping for that light bulb moment if I was to look through a list of possibilities...

CreepingDeath

gearoid_healy wrote: »

My background is in C# / ASP.NET and SQL. But would also be familiar enough with C++.

Any suggestions would be HUGELY appreciated...

Have you narrowed down any areas of interest ?

Eg. web, mobile phone, applications, development tools, database tools, etc ?

- webcam security : motion detection, sends e-mails/text alerts
- database duplicator : takes an entire database schema and backs it up to XML, can restore it to a different database eg. Oracle -> Db2
- web : a generic neighbourhood watch website template for all to use. Maybe integrated with Google maps to show burglaries, car thefts etc.


One thing I think would be a great addition to Windows is a "workspace oriented" Windows Explorer. Ie. you can create Windows Explorers projects which let you hide/show only the folders/locations/drives you want. So you could have a "Documents" workspace which only shows you the "My Document" folders plus maybe C:\Docs and \Docs.
You might have a "C++ Development" workspace only showing you \Compilers and \Source.

It would completely declutter the directory tree only showing you what you want to see. I'm too lazy/busy with other pet projects to implement it.

[-0-]

What are the requirements for the mini-thesis?

WithCheesePlease

Thanks CreepingDeath (metallica fan then yeah?! ), some great suggestions there.

But yeah - I realise I'm being ridiculously vague here! But to be honest I'm open to anything that would grab and hold my attention - as long as the learning curve wouldn't be too steep. My own background is in e-commerce/commercial and financial type web apps, but I'd consider using this as my chance to try something different too as long as I could still get it done on time.

As for requirements - that's pretty much up to me. Just need something that I can implement / investigate and get written up in less than 60,000 words by the end of August. Doesn't need to be anything ground breaking, revolutionary or new.

Atomic Pineapple

I've just done mine on creating a location aware mobile application using Android from Google.

It was very enjoyable and fulfilled both the research, written and practical parts of my project very well.

It would be a good option to look at if you want to do something with mobile apps.

you can see some of my work on it here :- http://www.donalrafferty.com

Seeing as you have a background in web apps though I'd look into creeping deaths idea of creating a neighbourhood watch app that utilises google maps, I think that would be very interesting

[-0-]

Why not use a USB sniffer and reverse engineer an API for a device you regularly use? Like an iPod, or a camera. Then write an app using the API as a proof of concept.

Tom Dunne

gearoid_healy wrote: »

I completely agree with you Tom (if that is your real name ). This would be a hell of a lot easier if I could come up with something that I was genuinely interested in. Trouble is I've been racking my brain trying to come up with something but just can't!

Was hoping for that light bulb moment if I was to look through a list of possibilities...

What does the course involve? What are the subjects/modules? What kind of projects did previous students do? A link to the course would help.

Also, can you give an indication as to what area you work in (not being too specific, of course)?

I have supervised a number of post-grad projects before, so if you give me some of the requested info above, I might be able to come up with something.

WithCheesePlease

The course is offered by UL, more info here. It's aimed at people from either Computing or Electronics backgrounds that hope to work in telecoms. Actually a pretty good course.

Era, there's no worries, I'll have a look around sourceforge and search google and so on and see if there's anything that strikes me...

Thanks

AARRRGH

What about elliptic curve cryptography? This is a painfully difficult area of computing, so you'd pretty much be guaranteed an A.

I did my thesis on it last year ("implementing and understanding elliptic curve cryptography") and I'd be willing to send you a copy of it. It'll make your life very easy as I broke the topic down into small steps. Apart from my thesis, there is nearly no readable text on this subject.

WithCheesePlease

That actually sounds great aarrrgh, and I appreciate the offer, thanks! But I had an idea and I've had it approved by my supervisor.

Thanks for the help and suggestions though lads.

[-0-]

What did you go with?

WithCheesePlease

I'm going to look into a way to create runs on say mapmyrun.com (starting off, will probably write my own scaled down version for this) and transfer that outdoor run to a treadmill - so you can have your own customised and familiar outdoor runs indoors, complete with distance and inclines.

Not really sure how to go about doing it just yet (especially interfacing with the treadmill) but I guess that's where the fun is! And I'm going to need a treadmill!! Guessing it won't be too easy to find an emulator or simulator or whatever anywhere!

And 4 months from inception to submission - it's going to be some struggle!

DeJaMo

Don't get carried away with the project idea itself. A masters project is supposed to add to the field of research... not write some cool little application - thats for a degree student.

If you want a good grade, you should concentrate more on the research and not on the code!

Webmonkey

DeJaMo wrote: »

Don't get carried away with the project idea itself. A masters project is supposed to add to the field of research... not write some cool little application - thats for a degree student.

If you want a good grade, you should concentrate more on the research and not on the code!

Yeah, that would be more a research masters but I say he would get away with it in a taught masters, though it is usually good idea to do something a bit unique and where lot research is.

But then any project has a lot of research, and usually only 30 - 40% will only go on implementation where as maybe 20% on design and rest research and testing. A lot more to a project than coding as DeJaMo says

AARRRGH

DeJaMo wrote: »

A masters project is supposed to add to the field of research...

You sure?

I thought a masters meant you are a "master" of something, and a Ph.D is where you add to the field of research...

Webmonkey

AARRRGH wrote: »

You sure?

I thought a masters meant you are a "master" of something, and a Ph.D is where you add to the field of research...

Yep you are right on that. Contributing to a field of study is where PhD comes in

WithCheesePlease

Yeah - this is really more a project module of the taught masters and not a full blown thesis. Kinda like an FYP, but with a little more expected. But still it will require a mix of research and implementation. Well, that's the approach I'll be taking anyway!

Webmonkey

gearoid_healy wrote: »

Yeah - this is really more a project module of the taught masters and not a full blown thesis. Kinda like an FYP, but with a little more expected. But still it will require a mix of research and implementation. Well, that's the approach I'll be taking anyway!

Yep sounds about right. Good luck with it