The problem Varmada addresses is how people who purchase products online can achieve a simple and quick return process in order to save time and money. This mobile application is targeted for smartphone users living in urban areas who do not have time to return items back to a drop off center or lack the resources to do so. With few options to handle this problem, Varmada was created to create a seamless return experience. Using Varmada, users can request an item pickup within multiple time ranges and dates that work with their schedule.

Manufacturers are often overlooked in the development of new technologies. They rely on pen and paper to track data. Since factory operators are often working with their hands, it becomes invasive and time-consuming to write what work order they’re working on, when, where, and for how long. That’s why we’re bringing IoT to the factory floor, making technology work for them. Our project uses a two-pronged approach, with both a voice-based OS and mobile user interface to track data: to get the information they need, when they need it.

Food waste has always been a big issue and we all had the experience of cleaning expired food out of the fridge. And since U.S. labeling regulations don’t mandate an expiration date on most cosmetics, it is really tricky to determine its lifespan. The same wasting issue also goes to medications that are not common to go expired without being noticed. Zero was developed to help the user track and manage perishable products such as food, cosmetics, and medication. Our app would potentially assist users to reduce waste and save each user $120 per year from food and commodity waste.

We have developed the browser extension voice enhancement system (BEEVES), an extension for Mozilla’s Firefox browser which supports voice extension development along with a visual agent. Interviews with extension developers verified a need for a framework which implements and integrates speech-to-text and natural language understanding components. User research suggests the need for a seamless voice experience bringing the benefits of mobile browsing to desktop. What we’ve built on open source components is aligned with Mozilla’s mission to ensure a private and accessible internet for all, and has the potential for enhancing commercial platforms.

Personal projects are the culmination of our intrinsic goals and desires but starting, working and completing them is difficult - we push them aside due to the lack of deadlines and consequences. Earlybird bridges the gap between intention and action by encouraging users to commit five minutes of work on their personal projects at a time and rewarding each commitment and additional time spent working on their project. The gamified experience coupled with mindfulness techniques to overcome procrastination barriers offers a unique solution that will help our users cultivate a habit of realizing their latest aspirations.

Autism spectrum disorder is a difficult condition to diagnose, due to the lack of conclusive medical test. My team in Seattle Children's develop a game designed to measure children’s executive function (EF) score, which is fitted into a machine learning model to accurately diagnose autism. I created a secure channel to transfer the EF data from client’s devices to the Seattle Children’s in compliance to HIPAA. I also researched and implemented various rewards mechanics designed to make these games as appealing to children as possible. This project will serve as an improvement in the way ASD is diagnosed.

Entree.ai is a Google Assistant action that makes ordering meals via voice as easy as having a normal conversation. Entree.ai does this by combining a NLU model created specifically for food ordering, which allows it to process complex food order queries. This is bolstered alongside a conversational voice based user experience that is exactly that: conversational. Current solutions make voice-based food ordering possible, but nigh unusable. Entree.ai hopes to become an Uber Eats of voice, which if adopted at scale, can lead to increased sales for restaurants and more pleasant experiences for customers.

People of various backgrounds suffer from different facial skin issues. Although there are many skincare products, skin varies and may react differently to products. FaceLiftr, an “all-in-one” platform, identifying and fixing skincare problems. By taking a photo of the user, FaceLiftr evaluates face health issues and recommends products to improve complexion and skincare. These products can be imported into a regimen builder that tracks user’s daily skincare routine. The users can share their routines with others, or use public routines. Regular checkups and new photos will also allow a user to track their progress closely, getting new recommendations over time.

It can be an intimidating process for students looking for the first internship or knowing where to take your career. There are gaps in knowledge from lack of experience, as well as feeling intimidated, or being unsure of what actions to take. laddr aims to bridge this gap for students who are seeking career-related opportunities by helping them create an actionable plan powered by advice and insights from peers, mentors, and historical data. Your career path is unique to you, but with laddr, we’ll climb to the top with you.

LANA was created to improve the English learning experience of students of our sponsor, Transcend Academy. It was developed as an all-encompassing solution that combines video conferencing, instant messaging and whiteboarding into a single web tool. Until LANA the instructors at Transcend Academy used multiple services to facilitate teaching which was often irksome for the non-tech savvy users. LANA was developed to streamline and simplify this complex process.