FocusAID

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  Prototype Screenshot of FocusAID

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  Mockup of FocusAID on a webpage

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  Mockup of FocusAID's flashcards on a webpage

Inspiration

Since Nelson was little, he's struggled in his studies. Having been diagnosed with ADHD since starting middle school, Nelson has had a hard time working in his classes, and struggled to build a foundation for more advanced topics. He wished there was a way to simplify the material to make it easier to process, remember and recall. This app is meant to facilitate learning in a way that makes material easier to synthesize, trains students on their readings, and make higher education more accessible as a result.

What it does

FocusAID utilizes AI to break complex texts/readings into an easy-to-understand summary, while highlighting key points. This helps students internalize subject material in a more straightforward format. Through this process, FocusAID helps build retention by creating self-assessments and flashcards for students to use to test themselves on the comprehension of the material.

This format was inspired by what Nelson wished he had while he was growing up when he was struggling with grasping the material.

How we built it

FocusAID was built primarily in Figma, with assistance from ChatGPT and summarized in Google Slides. The idea came from a shared passion for productivity, helping people in need in leveling the playing field for people who are/were ESL, are neurodivergent, or just stressed. The team has at least one person who was ESL, and at least one person who identifies as neurodivergent, so lived experiences very much informed the development of this idea.

Challenges we ran into

Hardware issues were the largest issue encountered, with processing times hindering the development of FocusAID. Another challenge was sleep deprivation and exhaustion. Some of our team members have never pulled an all-nighter, so the nature of the hackathon took a toll on them, compounded by caffeine. They say comparison is the enemy of joy, and this was very much the reality as well. Seeing so many people come in with a lot more experience didn't help for self-esteem, and doubts of whether the team was capable of completing this challenge made getting through it harder, especially with this being the first hackathon for a big part of the team.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

The team wasn't sure if the project would be completed in time, so that in itself is a huge achievement. For a large swath of the team, this is their first hackathon, so to complete a project during HackMESA is an achievement in itself!

What we learned

The team learned the value of discipline and motivation, with the team learning that it's a skill that can be built on for future success. Another team dynamic learned was the value of communication and teamwork, and how building camaraderie between each other and other contestants - it's not all about being cutthroat, and there's value in collaboration. Finally, the team learned to enjoy the little things, as well as the learning process. In terms of hard skills, the team learned about other softwares platforms, AI agents and more.

What's next for FocusAID

Joining other hackathons will help refine this idea and develop a working prototype to make this idea a reality, and in doing so help others succeed in school as well.

Built With

• chatgpt
• figma