Inspiration
My grandma has two daughters in the US and does not speak English fluently. When she flies from Chicago, where my aunt lives, to Dallas, where my mom lives, she feels uncomfortable finding her way through airports and understanding the process. She also is old, so is not as familiar with technology and keep track of a translator app, maps, etc. I wanted to help make navigating airports easier and more comfortable for those who aren't familiar with airports or the country they are in.
What it does
PortBuddy is a companion app to make navigating an airport feel less lonely, guiding people from curb to gate. An emphasis was placed on simplicity and user flow to make it easier for people who may not be familiar with technology. These are the core features:
- Viewing flights
- See updates in your native language and add flights to keep track of them.
- Personalized directions
- Get AI-processed directions around the airport to go through TSA and get to your gate in a checklist form.
- If you are lost, you can upload a photo of where you are and directions are updated from there.
- Once key steps are completed, automatically send a message to your loved ones to let them know you made it, so they stop pestering you.
- Translation of signs
- Most helpful to those who don't speak English and want to communicate with others.
- Translation of speech to speak to flight attendants or order food.
- If you are unsure of what a sign means, take a picture and it will be translated for you.
- Chatbot
- With access to your flight data, it can provide helpful information, such as where you find vegetarian food near your gate.
- Friendly Bald Eagle
- Whenever you are feeling frustrated, tap the bald eagle for some encouraging words.
How we built it
- Design: Figma
- Frontend: React Native, Expo, Material UI
- Backend: Google Translate API, Google Vision API, AssemblyAI for Speech to Text, OpenRouter for GPT, Twilio for SMS
- Database: Supabase database
Challenges we ran into
A lot of the APIs were ones I had never used before, so I had to figure out how to set them up and use them. I also spent a lot of time refining the GPT prompts I was using, since small changes can add a lot.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Doing this solo! I was nervous at first, but I learned the importance of good systems design and using AI to help me debug and refine my code. I am also proud that everything works.
What we learned
I learned about new APIs and how to integrate them. I definitely want to mess with OpenRouter more, since it provides easy AI usage from your code. I have also only made one React Native app before, but now I got to make a more advanced app. I also learned that the smallest changes to your Chat GPT prompt can create so many changes in your response.
What's next for PortBuddy
PortBuddy will be getting new features such as profiles, integration with American Airlines account, and AR integration for real time navigation through the airport.
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