The module enables the student to carry out an extended personal research project in Connected Environments with a focus to Sense, Deploy and Communicate (SDC). The central aim is to build and deploy a device to create a Connected Environment, the topic should be related to either a market need related to either an individual, group or company or/and related to a government or wider social/environmental issue. The student should focus on a key theme and aim at solving/communicating a problem or issue. 

The module is a continuation of the modules in both term two and term three allowing the combination of skills to be further developed and deployed. The forming and preparation of a research project plays a key part in this module taking into account multiple aspects of the development of a project which allows the sensing, deploying and communicating of data in an environment.

The student will carry out a personal research project involving the creation, deployment and evaluation of a device related to Connected Environments under the tutorship and guidance of their supervisor(s).

Aim: After having taking this module, you should be able to:

·       Define a research question, set both the scientific, policy and market context in terms of Connected Environments.
·       Carry out an extensive literature review of both academic and non-academic sources related to the wider context of the research project.
·       Design and build a sensor(s) to sensor any part/parts of the environment.
·       Design and build a method to communicate the data from the sensors, this can be either via a software or physical device or a combination of the two. It may exist purely in the virtual or physical environment or a combination of the two.
·       Deploy a device into an environment, this can be physical, virtual or a combination.
·       Critically interrupt both the design and the results with a summary of scientific achievements.
·       Show a transfer of knowledge from the research results into the wider market place, practice and/or policy settings.
·       Produce a produce or device suitable for exhibition to the wider public along with a public facing description of the research carried out.