PollQuick^®* (New Kind of "Audience Response System")  Project Overview

Instant "Audience Response System" uses Internet, WiFi, and Wired Conference Tables. View larger image.

• Insight Quest, Inc. created the PollQuick® system, which allows business team members to instantly decide, create and explore in a real-time.   • Unlike typical "audience response systems,"  PollQuick® is designed for fast response among smaller "working groups" and for everyday use, as opposed to once-a-year special events. • Insight Quest's creative "OmniPointer™" (mouse pointer containing a digital readout) eliminates the need to install plug-ins and already runs with 99% of all Windows applications.    • Insight Quest patented a PollQuick® version that is hardwired (under your conference table) that is also capable of stand-alone operation.  It has its own microcomputer, sensors and display. • Keywords: Audience Response Systems, ARS, Focus Groups, Polling, PollQuick®, WiFi, Infrared, Team Building, Team, Teamwork, OmniPointer™, C++, JavaScript, PHP, IP, TCP-IP, hardware, MCU and LED displays.              * PollQuick® is a registered trademark of  Insight Quest, Inc.

Significance of this Accomplishment

• Prior to PollQuick®, there was no practical way for all team members to "talk" simultaneously and yield productive results. • When wireless ARS becomes widespread (in the next 5 years, because of $95 WiFi cell phones), people will demand the higher reliability and security of wired systems. • Insight Quest's issued PollQuick® patent includes any "voting" device (buttons, joysticks, microphones, cameras, etc) fastened to the bottom surface periphery of any table. (This is the ideal location "bus wiring" for most face-to-face meetings). This hardwired approach eliminates these key issues: privacy/security, RF interferrence, and low-batteries.

Skills Transferable to Your Projects:

Leadership / Management • Insight Quest created and led the entire PollQuick® project.    (Nick Peterson and Dan Peterson, members of Insight Quest’s team, were outstanding contributors, too). Theory / R&D • Insight Quest effectively combined Sociology and Technology (TCP-IP, Infrared I/0, Adhesives, Software, etc.).    • This includes Insight Quest’s numerous insights in sociology, meeting-facilitation, computer science, hardware design (e.g. circuit design, board design, system design) prototyping, and manufacturing.  Software • Insight Quest wrote all PollQuick® software (including 5000 lines of C++, Microchip PIC16F872 assembly language, HTML).    He directed the PHP and Javascript software development, too.  Hardware • Insight Quest designed and prototyped all PollQuick® hardware(including the Microchip PIC16F872-based stand-alone poll-calculate-display unit, flat ribbon table-bus, enclosures, adhesive system, and infrared link). Trademarks & Patents • Insight Quest authored all trademark registration paperwork for Insight Quest® and PollQuick®. Insight Quest planned all content for all of this patents, then worked with experienced patent attorneys for the final patents.

Patents

Patent   (6, 964, 372     Issued   11-15-2005) Current Owner: Insight Quest, Inc. Licensing availability: (Yes). Contact Info:wp@insightq.com (480) 753-5375

Future Opportunities

By pushing beyond the current state-of-the-art, there are these opportunities (PollQuick® extensions): • Simple one-button voting controllers can be replaced with multi-button game pads with analog joysticks, thereby providing intuitive high speed team interaction.  authored all trad For example, this would enable "Rapid Fire Team Preferences" -- a novel type of informal focus group . • Further evolution of PollQuick® can combine conference table-wired cameras, microphones, and acceleraometers to break into even richer team interaction markets.

Links to related material

• Web Site www.PollQuick.com • Patent  6964372