MidSpot

MidSpot

Inspiration

As social creatures we want to meet up with our friends, but have trouble finding and deciding on a mutually convenient meeting spot. Other apps only consider the geolocation of one user when giving suggestions. We saw an opportunity to make a unique and interactive decision-making tool to bring people together.

What it does

Using live GPS tracking of connected users, MidSpot suggests a list of venues, prioritized by collective proximity. The suggestions will display relevant information such as user ratings and open hours. Users can then search for friends through Facebook connectivity and add them to the event.

How we built it

Using the geolocation of multiple clients, we devised a common region algorithm and retrieved venues within that scope. We built it with the Google Cloud Platform and integrated multiple Google APIs, along with Facebook API. The back end was built using the Google App Engine Python Standard Environment and the Flask framework. The front end was built using JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.

Challenges we ran into

Combining geolocation and Google maps functionality proved more difficult than we anticipated. Due to time constraints we were limited on how many features we were able to develop.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of was being able to successfully leverage Facebook for authenticating logins and finding friends. One unexpected triumph was our team dynamic. We had a fluid and efficient workflow, reached a number of significant benchmarks, and manifested an idea that we can stand behind.

What we learned

We verified Hofstadter's Law: it always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law. We were able to experiment with the Google Cloud Platform, which we anticipate using in the future. And last but not least, always have a backup internet connection.

What's next for MidSpot

Our goal is to implement a voting schema for choosing from suggestions. We would like to allow users to restrict suggested venues by category (i.e. outdoor, restaurants, nightlife). Finally, we would like to use Google Directions API to accommodate for varying modes of transportation, as well as provide directions.