MINDS Connect

Landing page
Student page
Caregiver page

Inspiration

At MINDS Singapore, many beneficiaries rely on caregivers to help them participate in programmes and events. Yet most digital registration systems are designed for fully independent users. This creates unnecessary barriers for individuals with intellectual disabilities and adds administrative burden to caregivers and staff.

We were inspired to build a system that removes these barriers — one that treats assisted participation as a first-class design requirement, not an afterthought.

What it does

MINDS Connect is a QR-based assisted event registration platform that makes event access simple for all.

Individuals can register for events independently with a single scan, while caregivers can securely assist when needed. Each individual and event is assigned a QR code. When scanned, registration happens instantly without forms, emails, or manual tracking.

MINDS Connect supports:

Independent sign-ups for beneficiaries
Secure caregiver-assisted registration
Centralized participant management for organizers

All through a simple, inclusive digital workflow.

How we built it

MINDS Connect is built as a fullstack web platform using:

Next.js for the frontend and backend API routes
PostgreSQL (Supabase) for secure data storage
Prisma for database management
QR-based routing to trigger instant registrations
Role-based authentication to separate individuals and caregivers

This architecture allows MINDS Connect to scale securely while remaining easy to deploy and maintain.

Challenges we ran into

One key challenge was designing a system that remains secure while being extremely simple to use. QR codes must enable instant action without exposing sensitive personal data.

We solved this by ensuring that QR codes store only secure links, while all personal information remains protected behind authenticated access and role-based permissions.

Another challenge was aligning assisted workflows with independence — allowing beneficiaries to self-register when possible, while seamlessly supporting caregiver intervention when needed.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Designing a system specifically for assisted participation, not just independent users
Creating a one-scan registration flow that removes form-filling entirely
Implementing secure caregiver access without increasing friction
Building a platform that can be realistically deployed within MINDS’ existing operations

MINDS Connect is not just a prototype — it is a deployable solution.