SnapTrails - Picture Your Way

Inspiration

Crafting this app was like mixing the passion for exploration with a dash of curiosity. Because when life gives you landmarks, why not turn them into a personalized, augmented reality adventure?

SnapTrails is like a travel diary, but with a sprinkle of AR magic! With SnapTrails, you can follow in the footsteps of fellow explorers and view the world through their lenses - literally!

What it does

A user embarks on a city tour and utilizes the smartphone app to capture photos or videos of intriguing landmarks during their journey. These media are then securely stored in a cloud database, complete with their geo-coordinates indicating the exact location where each one was taken.

The app then crafts a tailored one-day travel plan by considering the specific route the user took. It strategically designates stops at locations that align with the landmarks and attractions the user found intriguing and captured in photographs or videos during their journey. This individualized itinerary is referred to as a 'trail' within the app. These trails, essentially a curated sequence of recommended stops based on user experiences, form a collection within the app.

Subsequent users of the app have the option to browse through the available trails, including the one created by the original user. If they choose to follow a particular trail, the app doesn't just show you the way, but it also brings the photo and video memories to life in an augmented world. In other words, you can view these shots as part of the real environment, step into the past, right where that epic sunset photo was taken, and feel like you're walking in the footsteps of your own memories. The app also provides you with a 2D map that displays directions and designated stopping points that correspond to locations where the original user captured the moment during their itinerary.

And what's a journey without a little competition? Rate and be rated! Each of these photos and videos can be rated by fellow travelers by pressing the Like button in AR space. All individual ratings contribute to the overall rating of the entire trail. This approach simplifies the process of discovering the top-rated or recommended trails from the available options when you plan to revisit the city in the future, so you can experience the very best a city has to offer, according to travelers just like you.

Another button allows you to repost your photos and videos on your social media accounts in real-time. It's like keeping a live travel blog and sharing your travel adventures with your friends.

How we built it

Using Unity, we harnessed the creative power of Google's Geospatial Creator and seamlessly integrated it with the precision of Google's Javascript Maps API.

Challenges we ran into

Navigating through our development journey wasn't always a smooth path; in fact, we often found ourselves wrestling with the challenge of wanting to achieve too much all at once. Merging our efforts posed its own set of challenges, especially when trying to tailor the app to cater to both the trail creators and the trail seekers – a balancing act that gave us more than a few headaches. Additionally, crafting the optimal approach for video preparation demanded an investment of significant time and effort. Meeting specific goals within designated timeframes proved to be a formidable challenge.

What's next for SnapTrails

The future roadmap for SnapTrails includes (a) robust database integration to enhance data management, (b) leveraging the power of video recordings to offer a richer travel storytelling experience, and (c) meticulous polishing of the app to ensure a seamless and delightful user experience. Our ultimate aim is to expand the app's reach, making it a go-to app in tourist hotspots worldwide. We're on a mission to bring the joy of SnapTrails to every corner of the globe, connecting with more people and enhancing their travel experiences.