Marco

Marco (https://github.com/antqiu/colorstack-hackathon-2024/tree/Update)

Inspiration The idea stemmed from the need to streamline community reporting and lost & found functionalities within a secure and verified platform. Many platforms exist but lack user engagement, security, or efficient reporting mechanisms. The Binghamton University community needed a dedicated space where they could report issues directly to administrators and have an engaging, functional lost and found system integrated.

What it does This app enables users to report maintenance or safety issues directly to administrators, track the status of their reports, and participate in a community-driven lost and found feature. Users can upload descriptions and images of lost or found items, helps match lost items with reported found items. Smart notifications ensure that users receive updates about their reports or lost items.

How we built it We used React for the front end to create a responsive and interactive user interface. The backend was developed with Node.js and Express, while MongoDB serves as our database. Firebase is used for authentication and image storage.

Challenges we ran into We faced challenges with ensuring the accuracy of post recognition, as well as managing notifications in real-time without overwhelming the user. Another challenge was setting up Binghamton email verification to restrict access only to community members, which required extra layers of authentication.

Accomplishments that we're proud of We successfully implemented a functional post familiarity recognition system, which was a major technical hurdle. We're also proud of building an engaging lost-and-found social feed, which increases user interaction and community support.

What we learned We learned a lot about integrating technologies into real-world applications and managing user data securely with MongoDB. The experience taught us how to handle backend complexity, especially with real-time updates and notifications. We also gained insights into user behavior and preferences when designing community-driven apps.

What's next for Marco We plan to expand AI capabilities to improve item recognition accuracy, introduce chat functionality for direct user communication, and possibly expand the app to other universities. We also aim to enhance the reporting system with advanced analytics for administrators, making community reporting even more effective.