Aura +

Inspiration

Imagine having a super-smart assistant that doesn't just do one thing, but genuinely helps you with everything. That's our dream for Aura+. We were inspired by the idea of creating a single, easy-to-use helper that understands you, whether you're talking or even just showing it something. We wanted to build something that truly makes your daily digital and real-world interactions simpler and more powerful, like having an extra set of eyes and a super-brain at your command.

What it does

Aura+ is your personal, all-in-one smart assistant designed to simplify your busy life.

Here's what it helps you with:

• Easy Connections to Multiple Apps: Aura+ connects effortlessly to over 100 of your favorite apps, like your work tools (GitHub, Slack, Notion, Jira), your cloud storage (Google Drive), and many more. You no longer need to jump between different apps to get things done.
• Answers to All Your Questions: Just ask Aura+ anything about your connected apps, and it will give you clear, helpful answers. For example:
  • "What's my latest update in [project name] on GitHub?"
  • "Do I have any new messages in Slack?"
  • "What tasks are due this week in Notion?"
  • "Find the newest document in my Google Drive."
• Understand What You See (Visual Superpower): This is where Aura+ truly shines! Simply point your phone's camera at something – a document, a product, a sign – and ask Aura+ a question about it. It will understand what you're looking at and provide instant, helpful information.
• Empowering for Everyone: The visual feature is a game-changer, especially for the visually impaired. It acts like a descriptive companion, helping them understand their surroundings by simply asking Aura+ what's in front of them.
• Your Choice, Your Control: Aura+ is designed to be truly yours. You can pick your favorite AI 'brain' that understands you best, choose the voice you prefer to hear, and connect it to any app services you need. It's totally free and open for you to use and adapt.

How we built it

We built Aura+ by focusing on making it incredibly smart and easy to use. Think of it like this: we created a central brain for Aura+ that can "talk" to all your different apps and also "see" what your camera sees. We taught this brain to understand your voice and your visual questions, and then quickly find the right information from your apps or describe what's in your camera's view. We made sure it's super flexible, so you can easily swap out different smart technologies (like different AI 'brains' or voices) to find what works best for you.

Challenges we ran into

Making Aura+ feel like a truly seamless, magical assistant came with its own set of puzzles! It was tricky to make sure it responds super fast, even when it's checking many apps at once or trying to understand a complex scene through your camera. We also had to teach it to understand all sorts of questions and visual cues, even when they were a bit unclear, so you always get the right answer without frustration. And of course, getting all the different apps to 'talk' to Aura+ smoothly was like teaching many different languages at once!

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are incredibly proud of making the dream of an all-in-one assistant a reality. We've successfully connected Aura+ to over 100 apps, which means it can help you in more ways than ever before. But what truly makes us proud is the visual feature – the ability to simply point your camera and ask questions. This not only adds a new layer of convenience for everyone but, more importantly, it offers powerful independence and understanding for the visually impaired. We're also thrilled that we've made Aura+ open and customizable, putting you in control of your smart assistant.

What we learned

We learned that simplicity and choice are key. It's not just about making a smart system, but making it smart in a way that feels natural and effortless for you. We discovered how powerful it is when voice and vision work together to understand your world better. And we learned that by keeping Aura+ open and flexible, we can create something that truly grows with your needs and invites everyone to be a part of its future.

What's next for Aura+

We're excited to keep making Aura+ even smarter and more helpful! Next, we'll be adding connections to even more of your favorite apps and services. We're also working on making the visual feature even more powerful – imagine asking Aura+ to tell you specific details about items in a complex scene, or even guide you through a space just by using your camera. Our goal is to make Aura+ so intuitive and comprehensive, it becomes an indispensable part of your daily life, constantly learning and adapting to serve you better.

Built With

• gemini
• mcp
• nextjs
• tailwind
• vercel