Echo | Devpost

Inspiration

Older adults face two major access gaps: complex technology and scattered resources. Many apps rely on tiny text, multi-layered menus, and fast interfaces that unintentionally exclude seniors. At the same time, many older adults don’t know where to find community meals, events, health services, or volunteer help.

We wanted to build something that makes technology feel human again. Echo came from the belief that technology should meet people where they are. For seniors, that means being able to simply speak and get the support they need.

What It Does

Echo is a voice-first mobile app that helps seniors access essential support through natural interaction. It offers:

Voice Interface: Talk naturally to navigate the app or ask for information, with text input available when needed.
Emergency Access: One-tap 911 button with an extra confirmation step to prevent accidental calls.
Medication Management: Users can say “remind me to take aspirin at 8am,” and Echo automatically understands the request, schedules notifications, and suggests appropriate medication categories based on symptoms.
Volunteer Matching: Connects seniors with volunteers for home repair, mobility assistance, grocery help, companionship, tech support, or medical transportation.
Health Services Locator: Uses Google Places API to find nearby hospitals, clinics, and urgent care.
Community Events: Recommends local walking groups, workshops, and social activities.
AI-Powered Guidance: Answers daily or health-related questions and intelligently routes users to relevant features.
Text-to-Speech: All responses are read aloud using ElevenLabs for easy listening.

How We Built It

Frontend: React Native with Expo for iOS, Android, and Web

Backend: Express.js with Google Cloud Speech-to-Text, OpenAI GPT-4o, Google Gemini, ElevenLabs Text-to-Speech, and Google Places API

Core Systems: Cross-platform audio abstraction, Natural language understanding and command routing, Location services, Push notifications, Medication reminder parsing, API quota monitoring and fallback logic

Challenges We Ran Into

Managing API credits under time pressure

Accomplishments That We’re Proud Of

Building a genuinely intuitive voice-first interface tailored for seniors
Integrating medication reminders, events, health services, and volunteer help into one seamless experience
Designing interfaces with large touch targets, clear hierarchy, and simple navigation
Creating a smart routing system that understands user intent rather than rigid commands
Enabling natural language medication reminders that work even with vague or incomplete phrasing
Developing robust fallback logic to maintain reliability even when APIs fail
Building trust-oriented features and planning for verified volunteers
Working effectively as a team, learning how to divide responsibilities, share workload, and communicate under a tight deadline

What We Learned

How to collaborate efficiently by splitting tasks, documenting decisions, and keeping a fast feedback loop
How to structure a project under time pressure with clear milestones and a functional workflow
That managing multiple APIs requires layered fallback strategies and continuous quota monitoring
That audio features require platform-specific handling even in cross-platform frameworks
That designing for seniors means simplifying decision paths, not just enlarging text
That flexible intent detection is crucial for natural voice interactions
How to communicate, adapt, and troubleshoot together as a team

What’s Next for Echo

Offline Mode for essential reminders without internet
Multi-language support
Caregiver dashboard for medication adherence
Integration with healthcare systems
Expanded volunteer network with scheduling and verification
Telehealth consultation features
User-created events and community spaces
Further accessibility improvements, including larger text options and better screen reader support