Real time data input

[pdc64]

Hi,
I'm a new MT requester and have a couple of questions regarding a rather unusual data input task.

We have the need for at least one worker to use a website that we've created for inputting sports data. The data collected then gets fed to any other applications that need live sports feeds.

Each assignment would require the successful completion of four data inputs for each game, the inputs are:

1. Create - enter the start date/time for the game.
2. In Progress - Click a button to say the game has started (must be done within a minute of the actual start time)
3. Result - Enter the result of the game (must be done within a minute of the game finishing)
4. Finish - Click on a button to say the game finished (must be done within a minute of the game finishing)

So the challenge is, whilst this is data entry it has to happen in realtime, there is no fixed amount of assignments since each day there would be a different number of games.

Does this sound like something that is possible with MT?
It's important that we use the same worker, to start with, for a period that could be several weeks, months or even longer. Can assignments be set in such a way that they are rolling and always assigned to the same worker?

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[drwecki]

Anything is possible with MTURK, but you have to code. I myself have just started using PSITURK. this allows me to make a javascript heavy website and use python flask server side. I've read papers about folks programming multiple participants, participating together vis Js.Node [I think you're a coder based on your questions and language, but correct me if I'm wrong and I can explain more]. I myself am using a mysql database [served off my home server] one table collects participants data [Im a scientist I need this], the other table feeds ONE past decision made by participants into a consequence for the current participant. So, as long as you have the coding chops, use a tool like psiturk or develop your own programs to do the things psiturk does [for me, it allows me to easily create hits, and serve my experiment from my home computer while not having to learn how to construct a server from scratch, but I did learn how to write custom server routes on their server in python; it sounds like you work for a tech company and may not need this tool]

 

[pdc64]

Thanks for your response, very helpful.
As you guessed I am a techie from a tech company so have the coding chops; hadn't heard of PSITURK so will certainly look into it. Our stack is similar, a web app using a PHP API and MySQL db, so as you say anything is possible with some coding.
The idea of 'coding' participants together to act as one is interesting, but I think short term we're going to have to look at a more classic outsourcing approach and get one or two people sitting in front of the app entering the sports data.
The one ask that probably can't be done through the micro-worker model is that a task to be done at an exact time (start a game for instance). It just doesn't seem to fit with the MT model of letting workers run through multiple tasks each day at their own discretion.