Smart Clicker 2.0

Project description

Smart Clicker 2.0 is a hardware-based experience sampling system designed for the Workplace Vitality Hub. It enables office workers to provide real-time, location-aware feedback on their workspace experience using a portable clicker device. The system leverages ultra-wideband (UWB) technology for precise indoor location tracking and integrates with a cloud-based dashboard for data aggregation and analysis. The goal is to generate actionable insights to improve workplace well-being and productivity by making employee perceptions measurable, structured, and actionable.

Context

Modern office environments lack efficient, objective methods to measure employee perceptions of workplace conditions. Traditional surveys are time-consuming and often inaccurate. Smart Clicker 2.0 addresses this gap by providing a portable, user-friendly device for space-aware experience sampling. The system aims to deliver accurate, anonymized, and real-time data on employee experiences, enabling researchers and organizations to make data-driven improvements to workplace vitality.

Results

The Smart Clicker 2.0 project has delivered a production-ready solution for space-aware experience sampling in office environments. The most important outcomes are both tangible products and actionable insights, with their value demonstrated through technical validation and clear Technology Readiness Level (TRL) positioning.

1. Main Products Delivered

Physical Clicker Device:
A portable device using ultra-wideband (UWB) technology for precise room-level location tracking. The device is user-friendly and integrates seamlessly into daily routines.

Cloud-Native Backend and Dashboard:
A secure, scalable backend on Microsoft Azure, featuring IoT Hub integration, Cosmos DB storage, and a Kubernetes-orchestrated microservices setup. The dashboard allows researchers to configure daily questions, visualize aggregated feedback, manage offices, configure devices, and generate data exports.

Automated, Secure Infrastructure:
The system includes automated CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure-as-code deployment, and strict security controls, ensuring reliability and scalability.

2. Key Insights and Value

Room-Level Location Accuracy:
UWB triangulation was tested in real office spaces, achieving a satisfactory precision for meaningful, space-aware feedback. While this implementation might not be perfect, future refinement using better equipment is possible. This addresses the limitations of previous solutions and ensures reliable data for workplace analysis.

Actionable, Aggregated Workplace Insights:
The system enables researchers and strategists to identify spatial trends in employee experience, supporting targeted interventions for workplace well-being and productivity. Data is aggregated and anonymized, addressing privacy concerns while still delivering actionable intelligence.

Scalable and Adaptable Architecture:
The solution is designed for easy scaling across multiple offices and organizations, with automated deployment, monitoring, and disaster recovery. This positions the platform for broader adoption.

3. Validation and TRL Positioning

Validation:
The project followed SCRUM methodology with iterative stakeholder feedback and thorough testing and measurements. Key requirements — such as location accuracy and dashboard usability — were tested with the stakeholder and refined based on feedback.

Technology Readiness Level:
Smart Clicker 2.0 is positioned at TRL 7–8:

TRL 7: System prototype demonstrated in an operational environment, validated through pilot deployments.

TRL 8: Actual system completed and qualified through test and demonstration; core features are production-ready with automated deployment, monitoring, and security controls.

About the project group

We all came from different technical backgrounds, having 2 students from Software, 1 from Infrastructure, and a Semester 2 student interested in Technology. As such, we each contributed in very different ways to the completion of the project. We spent 15 weeks on the project, 4 days per week, totaling to around 60 days of hard and satisfying work. We worked using the SCRUM methodology, and collaborated closely with our stakeholder, always seeking feedback and brainstorming potential features.