Potential user(s) outreach and database (waiting list) creation - mobile companions and virtual visitors

We would like students to work on one of the two following projects.

1. Mobile companion outreach, database, and network building:

Mobile companions – individuals who are willing to take virtual visitors to requested remote places such as museums, parks, baseball games (via smartphones or 360-degree cameras) and engage conversations with them (in exchange of fees -TBD)

1) Identify and contact college student organizations (and their representatives) whose mission is to help vulnerable people/communities.

2) Create an email or one pager to explain our project (if interns want to do this - we can work together). If not, we will provide this to them.

3) Create an online form to capture basic info of potential mobile companions – names, emails, locations and may be interests (TBD)

4) Ask (or obtain permissions) from the above organizations to reach out their members and encourage them to sign up to be a part of the mobile companion network (or putting names on a waiting list). If we are ready, we will ask them to be pilot testers as well as early users.

5) Interview students who are interested in being testers; identify and define matching criteria (to match with virtual visitors).

6) Start building a network; start with local/regional universities (since our company is in California, we would like students to start with universities in west coast including university of California network), then go on to national – since our project must be completed by the end of March (80 hours / student), we do not expect students to complete everything.

2. Virtual visitor outreach, database, and network building:

Virtual visitors – homebound individuals (seniors, injured and anyone else ) who can't travel remote social occasions physically but visit virtually by mobile companions (virtual visitors will pay for the services). The virtual visitors can be 1) with VR headsets to have real immersive visiting experience 2) without VR headsets to have 3D or 2D experiences depending on their preference.

1) Identify and contact senior centers, assisted and independent living, rehabilitation hospitals as well as caregivers’ association who may understand what potential virtual visitors want and know where they are.

2) Create an email or one pager to explain what we would like to do (if interns want to do this - we can work together) - the same above.

3) Create an online form to capture basic info of potential virtual visitors – names, emails, locations and may be interests (TBD)

4) Ask (or obtain permissions) from the representatives and reach out to their members and residents, encourage them to sign up for our project if they are willing to be testers or early users.

5) Interview potential virtual visitors who are interested in being testers; identify and define profile questions and matching criteria.

6) Building a network: start with local/regional (start with the west coast facilities) and eventually create national outreach networks. Since our project must be completed by the end of March (80 hours / student), we are not expecting students to complete everything.

We periodically meet with students, answer questions and guide through the process.