Calvosa

Help Your Nervosa, With Calvosa

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Inspiration:

While researching for the mental illnesses that affect people the most in the world, the numbers and statistics of food-related disorders shocked us. Just in the US, there are more than 30 million people who suffer from some sort of eating disorder. When we came across these appalling facts, we realized that as a group, we had to take some kind of action, whether it was inspiring others or helping those affected. In our modern world, mental illnesses such as eating disorders are not that relevant due to current tragic events (COVID-19). Due to the lack of attention being given to the issue of mental illnesses, those who are impacted by different types of disorders are starting to suffer. One of the main issues patients are facing is the lack of communication between them and healthcare professionals Instead of tackling the issue of resolving mental illness as a whole, we decided to focus on resolving communication issues we found embedded in curing mental illnesses. Using the inspiration we received from the insufficient attention being given to this issue, Calvosa came to fruition.

What It Does:

Calvosa is an application that is developed with cutting-edge technologies. It is designed to bridge the gap and lack of communication between healthcare professionals and patients who have a food-related disorder. In the app, patients/users can view their assigned dietitian and psychiatrist's contact information such as phone numbers and email addresses. This information is retrieved from their provincial health records. Patients can also use Calvosa to find the nearest hospital and pharmacy to their current location. This feature uses a patient’s phone’s location services to retrieve their location, and use it to find the nearest hospital and pharmacy. Another useful feature that Calvosa possesses is the family contacts information. The patient can store their family members’ or close friends’ contact information whilst setting up the app for the first time. This information can also be edited at a later time by the patient. Furthermore, there is a NEDIC helpline button that the user can tap to contact NEDIC. When the patient needs more information about their condition, or if they have any concerns, they can tap the NEDIC helpline button, which causes a pop-up prompt. The prompt asks for confirmation, and if the patient taps “Yes”, it uses the user’s cellular services to make the phone call. The main feature of Calvosa is the diet planner. Every month, the dietitian on the patient’s Ontario file creates a diet plan for the entire month. The patient can then use the application to view what they must consume for each part of the day. In simpler terms, the user has access to all of their meals for the entire month. Calvosa also includes an emergency call button that can be used when a patient faces a panic attack. When the patient taps the button, it instantly calls their psychiatrist, so that they can seek immediate consultation and assistance. The call is made using the patient’s cellular services.

How We Built It:

Taking our ideas from a piece of paper, and converting them into reality was a difficult, yet possible task. To bring the Calvosa prototype to life, we used an application called “Adobe XD”. In Adobe XD, we used many design elements and shapes to create a mood-lifting interface. We considered many things to make a calming, and relaxing interface such as colours and shapes. In the beginning, we researched specific colour palettes that were scientifically proven to relieve stress and uplift an individual’s mood. In Adobe XD, we created multiple pages and linked them together to create one large application. We also used many of Apple’s SF Pro symbols and fonts to make our application look stylish and authentic at the same time. We worked very hard and long hours to create an attractive user interface. Hundreds of mouse clicks, and key presses later, Calvosa came to life. Other then that, our team working on programming the emergency button feature using HTML and CSS. We were also successful at accomplishing that, as our code succeeded when it was time to test it.

Challenges We Ran Into:

While designing our prototype application, we encountered numerous challenges. The main one was creating the transitions between the application pages. Another challenge we faced was getting the text to be the correct size. If the text was either too big or small, it ruined the style and look of the entire page. To solve these 2 major issues, we watched YouTube tutorials and searched up the best tips to create an application. To solve the issue of the transition, we watched a few YouTube videos, which helped us understand how Adobe XD created transitions. After watching the videos, we were able to solve any problems we were facing and got right back to making the application. For the text sizing issue, we searched up the best text sizing tips for applications, which allowed us to perfect our application. In the programming side, an image we had programmed into the system was not showing up when it came time to display it on our phone. To resolve this, we published our image online and coded the web address which ended up working. Although we ran into many challenges, our diligence and dedication were unbeatable.

Accomplishments That We're Proud Of:

There are many accomplishments that our team at Calvosa is proud of. The main one is an attractive and stylish user interface. We worked very hard to design a colour palette and overall user experience. Another thing we are proud of is our business plan. With our experience at the IBT program, we applied what we have learned, to create an effective master plan. We believe that our business plan will allow us to prosper both financially, and professionally.

What We Learned:

While attending our first-ever hackathon, we learned many things. The major thing we recognized was that no matter how big the obstacle, never give up. We acknowledged that one’s diligence and determination can allow them to succeed in absolutely anything, We also learned that consulting the internet when stuck is one of the best available solutions. Furthermore, we figured that communication within a team is the only way we can move forward together.

What's Next For Calvosa:

In the future, we aspire to turn Calvosa into a fully functioning application available to hundreds of patients and health professionals online. We would love to gain sponsors so that we could constantly release new updates for Calvosa. Our group’s main aspiration is to be able to prosper financially and help many people all over the world.

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