systole

• 

  early concept, prompt in chrome extension popup

Inspiration

Typically, I was wasting time on Youtube. I've come accross an interesting video, which explained Kahneman's idea on thinking. System 1 memory is fast and easy, while system 2 is slow, often even uncomfortable to use. However, system 2 memory is what forces our minds to form those synapses and develop a complex understanding of the concept at hand. Psychologists claim that system 2 thinking can more effectively educate, compared to the rote of modern study habits.

People spend too much time performing system 1 thinking, however. Too often, do we sell our schedules to tasks that satisfy our cravings for cognitive ease. In short, we procrastinate.

There is an app already called Forest which attempts to counter procrastination. It prevents the user from visiting specific websites that are not typically regarded as productive. Forest incentives use by planting virtual trees in a virtual garden, which people can feel proud of. I make fun of how silly this is, but I really can't, it is a very successful app.

What it does

My project attempts to perform a similar function, but I think it does something more meaningful. When you try to access a blacklisted "distracting" website such as Facebook, Youtube, or Reddit, it instead prompts you with a quick multiple choice question. This question can be on the topic of sciences, mathematics, or even social awareness. Users might have to do quick research or some mental work before proceeding. However, I am trying to promote more than just education. The multiple choice question is a deterrence to social media and other distractions. If you don't have time for my quiz, chances are, you don't have time for the site you're trying to visit either....

How I built it

I built this app by myself in Visual Studio code, with a lot of help from an ambassador from Appian. Sorry I didn't catch your name, but his slack tag is "stevecable."

Challenges I ran into

Everything. I had no experience with web development. It seems like Javascript was a language that was neither Java, nor was it good for scripting.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

Nothing. This is pretty underwhelming.

What I learned

I hate Javascript.

What's next for systole

I need to improve the UI with CSS, and also figure out some pretty core parts that I have yet to implement: including an automatic popup, and an overlay to prevent access to the blacklisted site. Once that has been set, the extension might get annoying if it blocks your site so frequently, so I will program it so that it deactivates itself for 15 minutes whenever a question is answered. Most importantly, I need to expand the database of questions. I have five questions in the fields of physics, nutrition, and environmental science. The more subjects I can cover, the better. Another hope is that users will discover new interests through the use of my app, and be inspired to learn more. In the (optimistic) future, questions will be stored on a remote server, and users would be able to choose subjects that they wish to download.

I must immediately work to improve the backend implementation of my app. I've made many resorts to code rewriting and awkward hacks due to my lack of experience.

Built With

• html
• javascript