TimeTraveler

TimeTraveler: Where every call is a journey through time—explore AI-generated worlds from the past and future, and reconnect with the voices of your loved ones that you never met

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About the Project

Inspiration

TimeTraveler was inspired not only by classic sci-fi movies and the timeless allure of time travel,
but also by the concept of anemoia—that deep nostalgia for memories you never had.

I was captivated by YouTube playlists that embrace this unique sentiment,
and by the liminal ambient music that has become a favorite among Gen-Z.

This blend of imaginative longing and evocative soundscapes sparked the idea
of creating an app where users can step into different eras—both past and future—
and experience immersive worlds paired with heartfelt, personalized conversations.

What I Learned

  • ElevenLabs Conversation AI:
    I learned how to integrate and utilize ElevenLabs to generate natural, context-aware conversations.
    It was both challenging and incredibly fun.

  • fal.ai’s Capabilities:
    I explored how fal.ai can quickly generate immersive images and even sound elements like a ringback tone,
    enhancing the overall experience.

  • Deepseek for Backstories:
    Combining deepseek-generated backstories with ElevenLabs’ conversation AI allowed me to create
    rich, believable character narratives.

  • Technical Coordination:
    Managing multiple AI services and ensuring they work together seamlessly taught me a lot
    about API integration and handling asynchronous workflows.

  • Working with Lovable:
    Learning to use the least prompt to achieve the best result. Identifying the root problem myself, then communicating it to Lovable, is often the best way to fix bugs.

How I Built It

  • Concept Development:
    The initial concept was centered around a phone booth where the user could time travel,
    with the phone ringing and initiating a conversation.
    However, due to the longer generation time for videos, I pivoted to using fal.ai to generate
    a fast, immersive image of the street as seen from a balcony in the chosen era.

  • Role & Responsibilities:
    I served as both the PM and Tech Lead, reviewing code, identifying and fixing bugs,
    and guiding the development process using Lovable.
    This involved closely monitoring changes, ensuring code stability,
    and integrating various components like ElevenLabs, fal.ai, and deepseek.

  • Tech Stack:
    The project leverages Lovable for coding and project management,
    React.js for the frontend, ElevenLabs for voice synthesis and conversation,
    fal.ai for image and ringback audio generation, deepseek for generating rich backstories,
    and Supabase for the database and edge functions.

Challenges Faced

  • Integration Complexity:
    Coordinating between multiple APIs (ElevenLabs, fal.ai, deepseek) required careful orchestration
    to maintain a seamless user experience.

  • Regression Bugs:
    Lovable’s frequent code changes led to regression issues that I had to track down and fix,
    ensuring that all functionalities worked as intended.

  • Balancing Speed and Immersion:
    Initially planning for video generation, I had to adapt the concept to still images
    to meet performance needs while still delivering an immersive experience.

Final Thoughts

This project has been a rewarding journey that melds futuristic AI technology with the imaginative world of time travel.

It not only allowed me to dive deep into cutting-edge tools like ElevenLabs and fal.ai,
but also provided invaluable lessons in project management and technical integration.

I had a lot of fun building and refining this app, and I hope it inspires others
to explore the limitless possibilities at the intersection of creativity and technology.

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