Animadex

Inspiration

We wanted to create a fun, interactive way to explore and learn about real-world animals, something that feels like a game but teaches you something, too. Inspired by the nostalgic magic of the Pokédex and our love of nature, we imagined a device that could turn everyday animal encounters into moments of discovery. Whether you're a kid on a nature walk or a seasoned birdwatcher, Animadex brings a sense of wonder to spotting wildlife.

What it does

Animadex is a handheld device that lets users "catch" real animals by taking their photo. It uses machine learning to identify the species, displays a pixel-art version of the animal, and shares a brief description. Each identified animal is added to your personal Animadex collection—like a real-world Pokédex. It's designed to make nature exploration fun, educational, and collectible.

How we built it

We used an ESP32 microcontroller paired with an OV7670 camera to capture images. A TFT SPI screen displays the user interface, including the animal description and pixel-art graphic. Image classification is done using a machine learning model optimized for the ESP32. Animal data and captured entries are stored locally in flash memory. We also designed a simple UI and collection system to browse through previously discovered animals.

Challenges we ran into

Getting the OV7670 camera to work reliably with the ESP32’s I2S interface was tough due to timing and memory constraints.
Rendering images and UI elements in real-time on a low-power microcontroller required optimization.
Creating or converting animal images into low-resolution pixel art that was both recognizable and memory-efficient.
Making the model lightweight enough for real-time inference on the ESP32 without cloud processing.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Built a fully functional handheld device that identifies animals and displays pixel art in real time.
Successfully integrated camera capture, ML inference, and display output in a single compact system.
Designed a fun and accessible user experience for both kids and adults.
Turned a nostalgic idea into a working, educational tool.