SnapStraight | Devpost

Inspiration

The idea for SnapStraight was born during a marathon coding session. One of us caught a glimpse of our reflection on the laptop screen, completely hunched over like a tech zombie. It was a classic moment—head forward, shoulders slumped, and back curved in ways it definitely shouldn’t be. As computer science students, I'm sure we've all experienced this. As we looked into this more, we learned that for every inch the head moves forward from its natural position, it increases in weight by approximately 10 lbs. This causes unnecessary strain on the neck and spine, leading to discomfort, fatigue, and even long-term health problems like tension headaches and back pain.

It really hit home when we realized how much time we spend coding and working on our laptops, completely unaware of how bad our posture was getting. We knew we couldn’t be the only ones dealing with this, and we were determined to find a tech-savvy solution. That's when we thought—why not use the power of augmented reality to help correct posture before it becomes a problem?

What it does

SnapStraight uses the AR capabilities of Snap Spectacles to monitor your posture in real-time. When it detects slouching or misalignment, the device reminds you to straighten up. By tracking head and upper body positioning, SnapStraight helps users maintain healthy posture, reduce discomfort, and increase productivity—all while keeping it fun and engaging through interactive feedback.

How we built it

We built SnapStraight by using Lens Studio with the Spectacles to measure a user's head's rotation and hand positions as well as rotational angles. Then, we trained a machine learning model on data that we collected by wearing the Spectacles and trying different good and bad posture positions with SKLearn. After that, we built a FastAPI to actually host our model and do inferences for the posture correction app.

Challenges we ran into

No one on the team had previous experience with AR at all. We quickly realized that working with cutting-edge tech meant diving into uncharted territory, where documentation and resources were limited. We had to experiment extensively to figure out how to integrate posture tracking with AR in a way that was both intuitive and functional.

We also encountered several bugs and limitations in the capabilities of the hardware and software. Some of the features we initially planned to use weren't fully supported or didn't work as expected, which forced us to pivot multiple times during development. This pushed us to get creative with the available tools, testing our ability to adapt and solve problems in real-time.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud of successfully integrating Snap Spectacles’ AR functionality with posture detection in a way that’s not only functional but fun and engaging for the user. Developing a machine learning model that reliably tracks posture and delivering real-time feedback through an innovative medium like AR was a major achievement for our team. We’re also proud of creating a solution that addresses a common health issue with cutting-edge technology in an accessible, user-friendly manner.

What we learned

Through this project, we learned the intricacies of building with AR technology, specifically integrating physical health solutions with augmented reality. We gained deeper insight into machine learning model refinement for real-time applications, and how important user experience design is when developing health-focused tools. We also learned how to handle the unique challenges of creating non-invasive feedback systems that people will actually enjoy using regularly.

What's next for SnapStraight

Next, we plan to expand SnapStraight by adding more features, such as personalized posture correction exercises and more detailed analytics. We also want to improve the machine learning model to adapt better to different user profiles and activities, ensuring it works in more diverse scenarios. Eventually, we aim to integrate SnapStraight into a broader wellness platform, offering users a comprehensive solution for improving posture and overall health through wearable AR technology.