Inspiration
Our team was inspired by a toy called Skannerz which released in 2000. We wanted to build off the idea of scanning barcodes and, rather than collecting monsters, we wanted to explore finding dinosaurs to fit the theme of this year's hackathon!
What It Does
Dino Detectors is a web application that is currently running on a local development server. The app allows you to scan barcodes and, if you're lucky, a dinosaur will appear that you can capture. When you capture the dinosaur, you can view it in your inventory. The inventory showcases all the dinosaurs you have thus far. There is also a Dinopedia page to learn more about the dinosaurs and their traits.
How We Built It
Our team used HTML, CSS, and Bootstrap for the front end, and Flask for the backend. The MySQL server was hosted on PlanetScale.
Challenges We Ran Into
Creating our web app Dino Detectors posed several challenges throughout development. One significant hurdle was ensuring the smooth functioning of the camera to accurately read barcodes, a critical feature of the app. Despite our efforts, achieving consistent barcode recognition proved trickier than anticipated, requiring extensive troubleshooting and optimization. Additionally, we initially aimed to animate the dinos within the app, but due to time constraints and the complexity involved, we ultimately decided to prioritize other functionalities over elaborate animations. Despite these obstacles, our team persevered, leveraging our collective skills and determination to deliver a functional and engaging web app experience.
Accomplishments That We're Proud Of
Our team achieved significant milestones throughout the development of our web app Dino Detectors, culminating in the successful creation of a fully functional application. We demonstrated our adaptability and commitment by mastering new skills, including database creation and management, web page design, and integration of various APIs. Crafting distinct web pages enabled seamless navigation and an intuitive user experience. These accomplishments not only showcase our technical proficiency but also highlight our collaborative spirit and dedication to delivering a high-quality product.
What We Learned
Throughout the development journey of Dino Detectors, our team embarked on a profound learning experience. We gained invaluable insights into database creation and management, mastering the intricacies of storing and retrieving data efficiently. Designing and implementing various web pages honed our skills in user interface design and frontend development, enhancing the overall accessibility and usability of our application. The integration of diverse APIs such as QuaggaJS, and MediaDevicesAPI expanded our technical toolkit, enabling us to incorporate advanced functionalities like real-time camera barcode scanning seamlessly. Moreover, we discovered firsthand the challenges inherent in software development, realizing that perseverance and collaboration are essential ingredients for success. Despite the hurdles, we emerged stronger and more skilled, reaffirming the importance of teamwork in overcoming obstacles and achieving our goals.
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