Inspiration

We’ve always been fascinated by the trust gap in peer-to-peer marketplaces, especially when it comes to buying and selling used smartphones. People hesitate because they don’t know if the phone they’re buying is in good condition—or if the seller is being honest. We wanted to create something that would reduce that friction instantly, without requiring tech skills or manual inspection.

The idea of using a voice-guided AI agent to run phone diagnostics came naturally. It’s fast, intuitive, and gives both parties confidence in the deal. That’s what sparked the creation of AskPiko.

What it does

AskPiko is a voice-guided diagnostic agent that runs directly on a smartphone. Within minutes, it checks key features like screen responsiveness, camera functionality, sensors, and buttons—all guided by a natural-sounding AI voice. At the end, users receive an AskPiko Verified Report that can be shared on any marketplace listing to boost buyer trust and help sellers close deals faster.

How we built it

We built a custom Android app using Bolt for rapid mobile development. The core is a voice-driven diagnostic flow, powered by ElevenLabs for lifelike speech synthesis. The app interacts directly with phone hardware to validate core features.

Some key elements: Real-time user prompts and audio feedback Agent-based control flow tied to hardware states Transparent, human-friendly reporting at the end of the session We focused heavily on creating a lightweight, responsive experience that could work even under low pressure or short timelines (like when meeting a buyer).

Challenges we ran into

Permissions: Managing access to microphone, screen usage, and power button events across different Android versions was complex.

Voice-to-action sync: Making sure the AI agent spoke at the right time, waited for the user, and resumed naturally took careful orchestration.

Agent stability: We experienced occasional voice disconnections and had to develop fallback flows to recover the session smoothly.

UX under time pressure: We discovered that even a 30-second lag can frustrate users, especially during sales scenarios. It pushed us to simplify the journey further.

Also, building with generative AI tools required a mindset shift—less traditional coding and more strategic prompting, which took time to master.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We created a working AI voice agent that performs actual device diagnostics—not just simulated flows. The tool has been tested on multiple Android devices and shows clear value in increasing buyer trust. We designed a shareable “AskPiko Verified” badge/report that adds credibility to second-hand listings. We built a fully functional MVP with smooth voice interaction and user feedback loops within a short timeframe.

What we learned

Conversational AI in diagnostics is very different from chatbots; it demands precision, timing, and attention to tone. Users care more about clarity and speed than technical depth—simplicity wins. Prompt engineering is becoming just as important as traditional coding when working with voice and generative models. Building trust requires more than just accurate tests—it requires clear guidance, human-like voice, and a sense of reliability.

What's Next for AskPiko.com

-What Our MVP Already Shows We’ve successfully built and tested the core features that prove AskPiko’s value in real-world second-hand phone transactions:

Voice-Guided Diagnostic Flow Simple and interactive voice instructions guiding users step by step.

Screen Test (Grid + Color) Full-screen color rendering and touch responsiveness validation.

Microphone Test Voice agent verifies mic functionality using real-time audio capture.

Sensor & Button Test Includes physical button press detection and device shake test.

Automated Diagnostic Report Generation A clear, shareable summary of the device’s health status to build trust instantly.

-What We’re Building Next We're now working on expanding the AskPiko experience to support more hardware components, deeper diagnostics, and broader user access:

Battery Test Display battery level, health, temperature, and charging behavior.

Advance Camera Test Activate and verify both front and rear cameras with guided prompts.

Connectivity Tests Verify that Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS modules are active and functional.

AI Agent Connection Indicator Visual feedback in the UI showing the real-time status of the voice agent.

Online Report Portal (askpiko.com) A public, web-based portal where users can access certified reports. Admins will have usage analytics, report history, and batch verification tools.

Pricing model: AskPiko will offer reports at just $4–$5 each.

Ultimately, our vision is straightforward: to make second-hand phone buying and selling as safe and effortless as purchasing new.