Project: Implementation of the “Web-Praktika: Sale of Policies” (“Autodealer”) system in the company “Zurich. Retail”

Client: www.mobiubiq.org

Task:
Develop a Symbian OS C++ application that decodes a QR barcode and EAN 13 (EPC) barcode and passes the decoded data to the J2ME application responsible for data processing on the Nokia platform.

Solution:
The system consists of two programs running on Nokia N95 and N96; one is a Symbian OS C++, and the other is J2ME midlet.

• The C++ application works with the camera of the mobile phone and responsible for barcodes decoding.
• The J2ME application communicates with C++ application via sockets.

The J2ME application commands the C++ application to decode a barcode: the user does not take a picture, since the camera runs in video mode and is constantly extracting an image as it decodes a QR barcode or an EAN-13 barcode from the extracted image. Once the barcode is decoded (or an error occurs), the C++ application sends the result back to the J2ME and goes to background until the next command.

Technologies: Symbian, C++, J2ME

Initial data:
A desktop XUL tool working with text files: it presented data in the table and performed filtering and searching queries on the data.
The tool consisted of two parts: XUL client and C++ server. XUL part was responsible for GUI and C++ part did data filtering. The client and server communicated with each other using disk files.

Task:
Our task was to increase the speed of data processing, fix application bugs and add multiple data source support: application-specific input and output files and the ability to import and export the files.

Result:
The C++ server was designed and developed from scratch as a command processing service. It communicates with the XUL client using socket, and provides a 70-80% performance increase for data filtering.
The XUL client was modified to support open/save in its own data files format that combines data and filtering criteria for user convenience; export/import to CSV format; data type mapping screen with type correctness checking was added to the application. Some GUI changes were made: modifying menu items, icons, controls, event handlers, etc. Some business logic and GUI problems were detected and fixed.

Technologies: Mozilla XUL, JavaScript, C++, SQLite.
 

Task:
Develop a tool that allows the user to capture a photo and send it, the GPS position and other information to a chosen address.

Solution:
J2ME was selected as the platform for this solution. The software can be downloaded from a web site and uploaded onto a GPS-enabled cell phone. It attaches the GPS location to an image that can be sent via MMS. Clicking on the application’s icon opens an interface that shows the camera. When a user takes a photo, the software identifies the GPS location of the photo (latitude and longitude accuracy dependent on the phone) and attaches the information to the image, along with a date, GMT time and other data, such as image name and image description.
The software was implemented as a J2ME midlet and has the following screens:

• Viewfinder screen;
• Captured image screen;
• Setup screen.

Technologies: J2ME
 

Client: MediaPro, Inc., a US-based company

Description:
A web-based portal application designed to help optimize, manage, and measure (evaluate) coaching and mentoring initiatives.

Technologies: ASP.NET 2.0, AJAX 1.0, MS SQL Server 2005
 

Task:
Develop a PDA tool for information transmission between field engineers and the home office.

Solution:
The tool saved engineers’ time while surveying in the field, as well as increasing their flexibility and efficiency.

Main functionality:
The user navigates using a menu button and job complete button.
• The menu button displays the names of the screens.
• The job complete button saves the data for attachment to an email.

The home office fills in various sections on a scrollable form (WIN32 Form) that saves in XML format and is sent by email to the engineer.

The engineer receives an email with the XML form attached; when clicked both the attachment and the program open displaying the job information.

The engineer adds information, saves it and sends it back as an email attachment.

Technologies: .Net 2.0, Compact Framework 2.0, c# 2.0, email by pocket outlook api, xml
 

Client: Inspire Tech Inc. (Singapore)

BTInfo: sends advertising images via Bluetooth to users within a short distance. User’s mobile device saves data regarding time and recipients of each advertising or information message. BTInfo was developed in two versions (Java ME and Windows Mobile), supports all standard web-service functions and uses images from memory when performing autonomous operations.

BTTracker: is used for controlling devices via Bluetooth. A notice is sent whenever a user is out of the “visibility” zone. The application is available in both Java ME and Windows Mobile for the purpose of expanding its application range.

Technologies: Java ME, C#
 

Client: Rainbowfix.com

Description:
The initial website was developed by a different outsourcer and contained multiple bugs and malfunctioning features.

The client’s priority task was to clean up and improve the code, as well as implement the new functionality. To do this we

• fixed bugs indicated by the client and others found by the NTR team;
• converted database-related calls to an object-oriented wrapper resulting in a fluid, data-centered collection of classes;
• increased protection to the system from SQL-injections;
• introduced page caching with Memcached that speeded up page load time and reduced database load;
• amended image storage structure, so that more files can be stored with substantially less stress to the server’s file system;
• integrated Userplane webmessenger;
• improved user’s session management;
• added search-by-interest function;
• improved “more like him/her” feature in the way that a CMS admin can manage the allowable variance of search parameters to broaden/narrow search results (matches);
• added periodic recalculation of matches with email notifications and RSS updates.

Client: GUP ECONOMICA

Description: The system was developed by NTR Lab to support information interoperability between Moscow’s city government and its Federal Tax Service. The system

• automates the reception of preliminary documents for tax revenues of the Economic Politics and Development Department;
• processes the data and posts it as an information resource on the intranet;
• creates and maintains an operating database of primary tax revenue information; and
• analyzes tax revenues in the city budget.

Special system features include

• template creation that enable users to build and modify various sets of required documents without updating software or changing the database scheme; and
• reference data that can be edited (addition and modification of classifiers, dictionaries and other reference materials).

Client: The Moscow City economic policy and development Department
Contractor: Project Management Administration "Economika"

Task
Develop a subsystem for automating management of dedicated budget funds and budget recepients

Solution: A system to automate procurement planning for Moscow’s chief budget administrators and direct budgetary funds recipients.

The goal was a system for efficient information collection, indexing and summarizing in order to plan municipal procurement based on the corresponding resolutions of the Moscow city government; the design allowed for changes in the underlying processes and standards (reference materials and classifiers).

The project adheres to strict fault-tolerance requirements and includes system design, implementation, staff training, hotline consultations and system maintenance.

The system

• updates and modifies electronic reference data;
• collects budgetary requests from subordinate organizations;
• allows entering the account data in both automated and manual modes;
• recalculates, totals and rounds the data automatically; and
• automatically processes it in the given formats.

The work with electronic documents is based on .NTR technology.

Technologies: .NET, Oracle, .NTR, Crystal Reports, Microsoft Reports