12-05-2011, 10:30 AM
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I.S.S.C
Interactive Social System for Clubs
Description
The ISSC is an interactive, social application system, to be used in coffee shops, clubs or any other location or event which sells different types of beverages. Unlike regular clubs where the prices of beverages are static, the ISSC can turn a club into a dynamic, self-organizing system similar to a stock exchange – The price of a beverage (a “stock”) is set based on demand – The more people buy a certain beverage, its price will rise, causing the prices of other drinks in this beverage stock market to fall. The owners and organizers use the system to set the initial prices and can also set minimum prices, to avoid loss due to “market dynamics”. But it is during the club’s activity period that the real drinking interaction occurs as prices fluctuate based on beverage consumption – Sometimes coffee will be low and lemonade high, but then as people rush to buy coffee, its price will rise, causing the price of lemonade to drop. The ISSC is an exciting beverage interactive experience, designed to spice up any social space.
Technical
The system is to be built as a client-server application. It consists of one central “Exchange” component, which centralizes the price dynamics, and several “Broker” components, which are placed next to the registers. The “Exchange” component’s interface is used to input the initial prices and later to display the dynamic beverage stock market using engaging graphics and animations. The “Broker” components’ interface is used to accept requests based on people’s beverage desires. The requests are sent to the “Exchange”, which in turn recalculates all beverage prices, refreshes the stock market screen and sends back the current price, which is then printed on a receipt. The receipts are handed at the club in exchange for beverages and the dynamic price on the receipt is the one punched in the real register. Then money is collected and change is returned. The “Exchange” component can handle simultaneous “Broker” updates and synchronize prices accordingly.
Pre-opening preparations
1. The owner runs the Broker” screen and starts by setting the initial prices for different drinks.
2. The owner then sets a minimum price for the drinks, to avoid cases where he can lose money due to market dynamics.
3. When done, the owner sets the system into “active” mode and the screen with the current “beverage exchange” is now animated on the big screens.
4. There are multiple “Broker” screens, acting as registers, around the club. When the system goes into “active” mode, the “Broker” screens are ready to take orders.
5. The states of the beverage’s price are broadcast on multiple screens around the club, some are projectors, and some are just simple TV sets.
Typical Scenario
1. Jay enters the bar. He sees the beautiful Jaya and wants to buy her a coffee. He asks her “what can I buy you, beautiful?” Jaya replies “Coffee please”.
2. Jay sees the big screen with the cool graphics and prices of Coffee going up and down, just like in a real stock exchange. He is excited. He waits for the price of coffee to drop.
3. When the price drops, Jay quickly approaches the closest register asks for two coffee - “Hurry hurry! While the price is still low!”.
4. The guy at the register quickly punches in two coffee on the “Broker” screen. The “Broker” now asks the main server for the current price of coffee; calculates the total amount and prints out a receipt, which is handed to Jay.
5. Jay is now holding the receipt and looks at the screen to see the price of coffee going up and other drinks go down. ”Jolly good, I got a good price”, he says.
6. Jay takes the receipt and goes to the bar, hands the receipt and money to the attendant and gets the two cups of coffee.
7. The attendant punches in the price from the receipt on the real register and hands Jay his change. Jay feels victorious and drops the attendant a nice tip.
8. Jay returns to Jaya and gives her a coffee, but she refuses saying – “Why don’t you drink the coffee, darling. I was just waiting for the price of lemonade to drop so I can go and get one. Thanks for the market fluctuation anyways…”
