MySQL: To create web databases

This weekend, my social life has been great: I have spent nearly all my time with a friend named MySQL, who happens to be a database programming application. But on the serious side, SQL is an extremely powerful language for database creation. It is exciting to use, since as you learn more about it, the possibilities grow exponentially.

Initially, I had trouble completing the software installation on my own. I called Bruce Hodge and he helped me get everything up and running. Once the the set-up was complete he helped me program in the database, it was really cool. He helped me input data and write some analytics stuff from 9:30-11:30 on a Friday night, which is awesome.

Anyway, MySQL is Fun with a capital F. Plus, we have now breached into the mysterious realm of online databasing. There is no turning back - I'm addicted.

- Jeff P

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Moving Forward & New Group Leaders

With us entering into a fresh New Year our team has decided to try some fresh new management. The way our InvenTeam has been set up is that one Project Manager oversees three Group Leaders who oversee the group members in their task specific groups. This system allows for easy communication and teamwork between people with similar tasks as well as easy flow of communication and information between the three groups.

Jeff Pawlick, Juliana Wakeman, and Duncan Boehle have done an awesome job keeping their groups on task during the research phase of our project but new leaders Rob Colpoys, Tim Vanasdale, and Steve Rancour are going to take a whack at being Group Leaders for the next few months.

Rob will be taking over Group #1 which will focus on Database and Information. This group will be using mySQL and Excel to create a plant database for use in the Garden Consultant.

Tim will be heading up Group #2 which will focus on Sensor Development and Automation. This group will identify and utilize sensors and existing programs which will automate the user-entry of personal garden information into the Garden Consultant.

Steve will be in charge of Group #3 which will focus on Application Programming. This group is in charge of the creation of a working web-site which in essence will be the Garden Consultant. Using the practices Bruce Hodge has introduced to us (including Perl, HTML, Apache, PHP...) they will be heading up the creation of a web-site which will take user inputted data and cross check it against a our Database to match the perfect plants to a users environment.

We now have a solid plan as to how we will very soon be bringing our prototype Garden Consultant to life. It will be fun and exciting seeing our hard work and research finally paying off as we watch our invention start to grow into a final product.

Within the next week I will be posting a description of exactly how the Garden Consultant will work and our plans for the invention. This is an exciting time for the SSHS InvenTeam and we can not wait to have our fully functioning Garden Consultant available on-line for you all to try.

Keep checking in on our blog and I look forward to posting good news to you soon.

- Elliott

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Thanks PLTW! : SSHS InvenTeam Polos

When we arrived back from our Holiday Break yesterday we found an awesome gift sitting in our class room.

Thank you Mr. Richard Blais and everyone at PLTW for your generous donation of these team shirts as well as your support of our InvenTeam. The polo shirts you donated to our team look great and we cannot wait to proudly sport them at MIT this June as well as at the RPI-Lemelson Award Ceremony next month. The shirts are awesome and we could not thank you and everyone at Project Lead the Way enough for your donation.

Thanks - Elliott

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Pictures: The Team in its Natural Habitat.

If you go the InvenTeams Web-Site and follow the links to the pictures page you can check out some awesome pictures Leigh Estabrooks took of our team at work during her first visit. Just something cool you might want to check out.
- Elliott

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Soil Drainage

The soil drainage group is searching for new ways to measure soil drainage that we could incorporate into our project. Soil drainage is measured by variety of test presented in the gardening packet. We plan to include this as a automated process in our device. With the use of labview and moister detectors we can make the test more accurate and easier.

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Search Results

Though the image is a little hard to see what you are looking at is Google Search results for "InvenTeam". Out of 3,050 results the Saratoga Springs HS InvenTeam Blog ranks number two, only behind the official InvenTeam web-site. Obviously we are drawing quite a bit of attention in the InvenTeams Universe and as we get closer to EurekaFest! and people start searching to find out whats going on, its pretty cool to know that were #1.

This is a pretty cool way to start off the New Year. I hope everyone had a great holiday break and for those of you not on the InvenTeam, check back soon as we unveil the new direction of the Garden Consultant as well as changes in management.

- Elliott

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