## Inspiration

Our team’s mission is to create a space of understanding, compassion, and curiosity through facilitating cross-cultural conversations.

At a time where a pandemic and social media algorithms keep us tightly wound in our own homes and echo chambers, we’ve made a platform to push people out of their comfort zones and into a diverse environment where they can learn more about other cultures.

Cross-cultural conversations are immensely effective at eliminating biases and fostering understanding. However, these interactions can also be challenging and awkward. We designed Perspectives to eliminate that tension by putting the focus back on similarities instead of differences. We hope that through hearing the stories of other cultures, users will be able to drop their assumptions and become more accepting of the people around them.

## What it does

Perspectives guides users through cross-cultural conversation with prompts that help facilitate understanding and reflection.

Users have the ability to create a user profile that details their cultural identity, cross-cultural interests, and personal passions. Then, through the platform’s matching system, users are connected through video with like-minded individuals of different backgrounds.

## How we built it

The main codebase for our project was the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, Node.js). We used the Daily API for our video calling and RxJS to handle our async events. We spent most of our time either planning different features for our application or coding over Zoom together.

## Challenges we ran into

A big challenge we encountered was deciding on what peer-to-peer communication platform we should use for our project. At first, our project was structured to be a mobile application, but after evaluating our time and resources, we felt that we would be able to build a higher quality desktop application. We knew that video calling was a key component to our idea, and so we tested a variety of the video call technology platforms in order to determine which one would be the best fit for us.

## Accomplishments that we're proud of

With so many moving pieces and only two of us working on the project, we were so enthusiastic when our project was able to come together and run smoothly. Developing a live pairing and video call system was definitely not something either of us had experience in, and so we were ecstatic to see our functioning final product.

## What we learned

We learned that ideation is EVERYTHING. Instead of jumping straight into our first couple project ideas like we’ve done in the past, we decided to spend more time on ideating and looking for pain points in our everyday lives. For certain project ideas, we needed a long time to do research and decide whether or not they were viable, but in the end, our patience paid off. Speaking of patience, another big piece of wisdom we learned is that sleep is important! After tucking in on Friday night, we were rejuvenated and hungry to work through Saturday, where we definitely saw most of our productiveness.

## What's next for Perspectives

A definite next step for the project would be to develop a Perspectives mobile app which would increase the project’s accessibility as well as introduce a new level of convenience to cross-cultural conversation. We are also excited to develop new features like in-app speaker panel events and large community discussions which would revolutionize the way we communicate outside our comfort zones.
Inspiration
Our project is driven by a deep-seated commitment to address the escalating issues of hate speech and crime in the digital realm. We recognized that technology holds immense potential in playing a pivotal role in combating these societal challenges and nurturing a sense of community and safety.

## What It Does

Our platform serves as a beacon of hope, empowering users to report incidents of hate speech and crime. In doing so, we have created a vibrant community of individuals wholeheartedly devoted to eradicating such toxic behaviors. Users can not only report but also engage with the reported incidents through posts, reactions, and comments, thereby fostering awareness and strengthening the bonds of solidarity among its users. Furthermore, our platform features an AI chatbot that simplifies and enhances the reporting process, ensuring accessibility and ease of use.

## How We Built It

The foundation of our platform is a fusion of cutting-edge front-end and back-end technologies. The user interface came to life through MERN stack, ensuring an engaging and user-friendly experience. The backend infrastructure, meanwhile, was meticulously crafted using Node.js, providing robust support for our APIs and server-side operations. To house the wealth of user-generated content, we harnessed the prowess of MongoDB, a NoSQL database. Authentication and user data privacy were fortified through the seamless integration of Auth0, a rock-solid authentication solution.

## Challenges We Ran Into

Our journey was not without its trials. Securing the platform, effective content moderation, and the development of a user-friendly AI chatbot presented formidable challenges. However, with unwavering dedication and substantial effort, we overcame these obstacles, emerging stronger and more resilient, ready to tackle any adversity.

## Accomplishments That We're Proud Of

Our proudest accomplishment is the creation of a platform that emboldens individuals to stand up against hate speech and crime. Our achievement is rooted in the nurturing of a safe and supportive digital environment where users come together to share their experiences, ultimately challenging and combatting hatred head-on.

## What We Learned

The journey was not just about development; it was a profound learning experience. We gained valuable insights into the vast potential of technology as a force for social good. User privacy, effective content moderation, and the vital role of community-building have all come to the forefront of our understanding, enhancing our commitment to addressing these critical issues.

## What's Next for JustIT

The future holds exciting prospects for JustIT. We envision expanding our platform's reach and impact. Plans are underway to enhance the AI chatbot's capabilities, streamline the reporting process, and implement more robust content moderation techniques. Our ultimate aspiration is to create a digital space that is inclusive, empathetic, and, above all, safe for everyone.
## Inspiration

Partially inspired by the Smart Cities track, we wanted our app to have the direct utility of ordering food, while still being fun to interact with. We aimed to combine convenience with entertainment, making the experience more enjoyable than your typical drive-through order.

## What it does

You interact using only your voice. The app automatically detects when you start and stop talking, uses AI to transcribe what you say, figures out the food items (with modifications) you want to order, and adds them to your current order. It even handles details like size and flavor preferences. The AI then generates text-to-speech audio, which is played back to confirm your order in a humorous, engaging way. There is absolutely zero set-up or management necessary, as the program will completely ignore all background noises and conversation. Even then, it will still take your order with staggering precision.

## How we built it

The frontend of the app is built with React and TypeScript, while the backend uses Flask and Python. We containerized the app using Docker and deployed it using Defang. The design of the menu is also done in Canva with a dash of Harvard colors.

## Challenges we ran into

One major challenge was getting the different parts of the app—frontend, backend, and AI—to communicate effectively. From media file conversions to AI prompt engineering, we worked through each of the problems together. We struggled particularly with maintaining smooth communication once the app was deployed. Additionally, fine-tuning the AI to accurately extract order information from voice inputs while keeping the interaction natural was a big hurdle.

## Accomplishments that we're proud of

We're proud of building a fully functioning product that successfully integrates all the features we envisioned. We also managed to deploy the app, which was a huge achievement given the complexity of the project. Completing our initial feature set within the hackathon timeframe was a key success for us. Trying to work with Python data type was difficult to manage, and we were proud to navigate around that. We are also extremely proud to meet a bunch of new people and tackle new challenges that we were not previously comfortable with.

## What we learned

We honed our skills in React, TypeScript, Flask, and Python, especially in how to make these technologies work together. We also learned how to containerize and deploy applications using Docker and Docker Compose, as well as how to use Defang for cloud deployment.

## What's next for Harvard Burger

Moving forward, we want to add a business-facing interface, where restaurant staff would be able to view and fulfill customer orders. There will also be individual kiosk devices to handle order inputs. These features would allow *Harvard Burger* to move from a demo to a fully functional app that restaurants could actually use. Lastly, we can sell the product by designing marketing strategies for fast food chains.