Aura

Master your routines with AI coaching mentors. Track habits, achieve deep work, and build minimalist systems for intentional living. Powered by RevenueCat for seamless subscriptions.

Comment

Inspiration

In a world overflowing with noise and distraction, true clarity has become a rare luxury. We were inspired to build Aura to reclaim that clarity. We wanted to democratize access to elite-level coaching—the kind usually reserved for executives and top performers—and make it accessible to everyone. Our goal was to create not just a productivity tool, but a "personal board of directors" that helps users navigate the complexities of deep work, mindfulness, and creative strategy.

What it does

Aura is an AI-powered coaching platform that replaces generic chatbots with three distinct, specialized personas, each designed to guide you through different aspects of your life:

  • Marcus (Productivity Scientist): Helps you optimize your workflow, manage your schedule, and execute deep work sessions with precision.
  • Elara (Mindfulness Guide): Offers support for mental well-being, helping you find balance and reduced anxiety through mindfulness practices.
  • Julian (Creative Strategist): Acts as a sounding board for your ideas, helping you unlock creativity and think strategically about your goals. Key features include:
  • Intelligent Chat: Fluid, context-aware conversations with specialized AI coaches.
  • Smart Scheduling: Tools to manage your time and tasks effectively.
  • Discovery Gallery: A space to explore content and insights curated for your growth.
  • Daily Inspiration: Curated quotes and wisdom to start your day with intention.

How we built it

We built Aura with a focus on performance, aesthetics, and cross-platform capability.

  • Core Framework: We chose React Native with Expo to deliver a high-quality native experience on both iOS and Android from a single codebase.
  • Language: Typical of modern robust applications, we used TypeScript for type safety and developer experience.
  • AI Engine: The intelligence of Marcus, Elara, and Julian is powered by the OpenAI API, with carefully tuned system prompts to maintain distinct personalities.
  • UI/UX: To achieve our "Luminous Zen" aesthetic, we utilized Moti and React Native Reanimated for fluid, complex animations, and Expo Linear Gradient for our signature soft, glowing backgrounds.
  • Monetization: We integrated RevenueCat to handle subscriptions and in-app purchases seamlessly.
  • Icons: Lucide React Native provides our clean, consistent iconography. ## Challenges we ran into
  • Persona Distinction: Ensuring that Marcus, Elara, and Julian felt like three distinct individuals rather than just one AI with different names was a prompt engineering challenge.
  • Animation Performance: Implementing the heavy, soft-gradient animations and transitions (our "Luminous Zen" style) without compromising app performance on older devices required careful optimization with Reanimated.
  • State Management: coordinating user data across different screens (Chat, Schedule, Dashboard) and persisting it locally with Async Storage while keeping the UI responsive. ## Accomplishments that we're proud of
  • The "Luminous" Design: We are incredibly proud of the visual identity of the app. The glassmorphism effects and subtle gradient animations create a truly calming ("zen") user experience.
  • Seamless Onboarding: The narrative onboarding flow effectively introduces users to their "personal board of directors" in an engaging, interactive way.
  • Integrated Coaching: Successfully bringing three different coaching domains (Productivity, Mindfulness, Strategy) into a single, cohesive interface.

What we learned

  • Mobile Animation: We deepened our mastery of React Native's animation primitives to create a "premium" feel.
  • AI Context Management: We learned a lot about managing context windows and history to make AI conversations feel natural and continuous.
  • User Psychology: We learned that users engage more deeply when AI help is personified into specific roles rather than a generic assistant.

What's next for Aura

  • Voice Mode: Enabling real-time voice conversations with the personas for a hands-free coaching experience.
  • Deeper Calendar Integration: Syncing directly with Google and Apple Calendars for real-time schedule optimization.
  • Community Challenges: Allowing users to opt into shared productivity or mindfulness challenges.

Built With

Share this project:

Updates