DeLorean

About DeLorean

Hackathon Tracks

Main Track: GROW – The Advocate
Side Tracks: Best Use of ElevenLabs, Best Use of Gemini API

Inspiration
We were inspired by the idea of walking through your own memories. Instead of simply viewing photos, we wanted users to move through a 3D tunnel where each image tells its story, ending in a single audiobook that captures them all. The name DeLorean references Back to the Future, symbolizing a journey through time and reflection.

What We Learned
We learned how to work with several third-party APIs for audio generation, file management, and storytelling. We also gained experience optimizing WebGL rendering, implementing positional audio, and managing dynamic assets within a live 3D environment.

How We Built It
The frontend uses React and Three.js to render an interactive tunnel with spatial audio. The backend, built with Node.js and Express, handles uploads, generates short narrated stories, and merges them into a final audiobook file that can be downloaded inside the 3D scene.

Challenges
We faced challenges with real-time audio blending, ensuring smooth performance on the browser, and automatically cleaning up files between new tunnel sessions. Balancing visuals and interactivity while keeping the experience fluid was a key technical focus.