EcoDentify

Inspiration

Electronic waste (E-waste) poses a significant environmental and societal challenge. The rapid advancement of technology has led to shorter lifespans for electronic devices, resulting in a staggering increase in discarded gadgets. These discarded electronics often contain hazardous materials like lead, mercury, and cadmium, which can leach into the environment, contaminating soil and water. By raising awareness and promoting sustainable practices, our app aims to address the e-waste problem and promote a cleaner, healthier planet.

What it does

Our web app allows users to input the serial number of their electronic device and then swiftly identifies the device's make and model. Afterwards, it utilizes their location data in order to offer a list of nearby e-waste management sites. This web app not only empowers users with information about their electronics but also ensures that they can conveniently locate the nearest recycling facilities.

How we built it

When building our application we had a lot of puzzles pieces to solve and it seemed very intimidating at the beginning. We realized that to successfully build the application we need to start by tackling the application problem by problem. First we created an outline on Figma to visualize how the website would appear. While this was occurring, our back-end team was researching API's and generating sufficient responses to how the inputs would be reacted. After this we created the website based off of the Figma demo-type and then connected it with the backend program.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

One of the achievements of our web app development is the strategic use of APIs to streamline functionality. By leveraging existing data sources and services, we significantly reduced the amount of custom code and programming required. This approach simplified the development process, making our app more efficient and cost-effective. We also crafted a user-friendly interface. This achievement not only reflects our commitment to aesthetics and usability but also demonstrates our ability to communicate complex information in a clear and engaging manner.

What we learned

Working on this project has been a valuable learning experience for our team. We've all learned how to integrate APIs into a program for the very first time and have also gained a deeper understanding of the connection between front-end and back-end development.

What's next for EcoDentify

Our original vision for the web app included a dynamic feature where users could discover ways to repurpose their devices and engage in electronic parts trading with fellow users. While this functionality wasn't implemented into our project, it remains a pivotal to expand the capabilities of our web app.