ClassMate

How we built it

On the frontend, we used HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in order to create the design and UI. On the backend, we used an Express.js server in order to handle user uploads of files and storage. We used OpenAI’s API, Whisper for transcription, and GPT-4 for summarization, which were used to handle recording and saving transcripts of lectures.

Challenges we ran into

Limitations on the input size for whisper required us to process longer recordings by breaking it up into numerous smaller files and compiling the transcriptions before feeding it into GPT-4. Additionally, figuring out OpenAI’s API involved numerous debugging steps, including replacing our API key after it was uploaded to GitHub.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We devised a creative way to combine audio files in order to create the clearest lecture. We also successfully implemented an AI tracking speech recognition into the website

What we learned

Since some of us are beginner hackers, we learned a lot about how to collaborate on one project as coders. Even though a couple of us had previous experience working on simple projects, working together was a new experience, and we had to figure out how to divide up tasks and come up with a cohesive idea that we all agreed with. Additionally, we learned how to better leverage AI to increase the effectiveness of various functionalities in the code. We all gained more experience coding in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

What's next for ClassMate

We are looking at a multi-revenue stream approach. Classmate uses a freemium model that gives every student a free entry point enough to experience the value. From there, students can upgrade to Pro for $9.99/month with unlimited recordings, AI summaries, and advanced study tools. For groups, there’s a shared library and collaboration plan, and for universities, an institutional license at $4.99/student/month that includes admin dashboards and compliance features. This makes us affordable for individual students while unlocking scalable revenue through school partnerships. Not only does this provide revenue, but also it incentivizes more participation. For example, one idea is an advanced note taker system, which students can vote on was more or less beneficial. Notes that receive more votes can gain tokens that students are allowed to spend on accessing premium benefits.