Lectr

Inspiration

This project was born out of necessity. Between a packed semester and multiple responsibilities, I found it hard to consistently pay attention in lectures and take thorough notes. As midterms approached, I realized I needed an efficient way to catch up on essential lecture content. This inspired me to create Lectr—a tool that would allow me to quickly review and summarize lecture material, helping me get up to speed before exams.

What it does

Lectr allows users to:

Upload lecture notes or PDF slide decks. Summarize key points from the uploaded content using AI. Generate quizzes based on lecture material to test understanding. Quickly review important topics and quiz answers to prepare for exams.

How we built it

Frontend: Built with React Native, Lectr allows users to upload lecture notes or slide decks, request summaries, and take quizzes. Backend: Developed using Node.js and Express, the backend utilizes the OpenAI API for text summarization and quiz generation, and the pdf-parse library to process PDF files. Artificial Intelligence: Integrated with the OpenAI API, Lectr uses AI to summarize content and generate relevant multiple-choice questions, ensuring users can grasp key concepts quickly. File Handling: Users can upload PDF files containing lecture content, which Lectr processes and summarizes, providing a concise overview of each topic to streamline study sessions.

Challenges we ran into

This project had a few technical challenges. Setting up reliable file handling and parsing was a learning curve, especially with large PDF files. Integrating AI to create accurate summaries and quizzes took trial and error to achieve the desired accuracy. Debugging React Native navigation issues and ensuring smooth transitions between screens required attention to detail and persistent problem-solving.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud that Lectr became a functional tool to simplify learning. Successfully integrating AI for meaningful content generation, handling file uploads and summaries, and creating a smooth user experience in a mobile app were big accomplishments.

What we learned

We learned about the power of automation and the potential of AI to assist in learning. We also gained hands-on experience with React Native, backend file handling, and leveraging the OpenAI API to generate concise study material from large text inputs.

What's next for Lectr

In the future, we plan to:

Add More Formats: Support more file formats, such as DOCX and PPTX, to broaden usability. Enhance Quiz Features: Add more question types and feedback mechanisms. Integrate Flashcards: Allow users to create flashcards from key points. Explore Language Support: Introduce multi-language support to make Lectr accessible to more users. Lectr helped me stay on top of course material, even with a packed schedule. I’m excited to continue improving it and making studying more accessible for students like me.

Built With

• cli
• node.js
• openai
• react-native