DyscalcuTech

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Inspiration

One of our team members ran into a student with dyscalculia who recently discovered a new way to learn math: visualizing concepts with blocks. Instead of viewing addition in terms of written characters, (i.e. 1+1=2), they put two singular blocks together to make a pair.

What it does

This simple connection helped the student make the appropriate connections and learn the concepts, so we're hoping to create a streamlined learning tool modeling the method they used, helping students with dyscalculia all over the world.

How we built it

We started by building the basic structure of our website with HTML and CSS, implementing a single input for the user's questions on various mathematical topics. Then, we input the data into a chatbot built using IBM's Watson Assistant and sent the bot's responses back to our website to prompt a specific animation to show (e.g.: separate blocks forming a whole). The chatbot brings the user through guided exercises until they finish a track.

Challenges we ran into

We ran into a challenge retrieving the API key from the Watson Assistant chatbot we initially created. As it was our first time integrating API into a web-based project, we didn't quite know the steps to take at first, but learned quickly throughout the process.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Learning how to use the vast array of tools available in the IBM cloud (Watson Assistant specifically), implementing API into projects, and creating a tool with the potential to improve the lives of students for years to come.

What we learned

How to implement API, work collaboratively on a project for the greater good, and approach bugs and issues with a confident and open perspective, regardless of time or experience constraints.

What's next for DyscalcuTech

We learned that we couldn't implement our whole vision in one weekend, and hope to add up to college-level mathematics in the future.

Built With

• api
• css
• html
• ibm
• javascript
• python