Inspiration
We kept losing useful information after closing our research tabs. We wanted a way to remember both the sources and what we learned.
What it does
MindTrail records research sessions, saves highlighted text, explains it with Gemini, and lets users revisit their timeline or restore their tabs.
How we built it
We used Chrome Extension Manifest V3, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, Chrome local storage, Node.js, Express, and the Gemini API.
Challenges we ran into
We worked through Gemini model availability, Git merge conflicts, and a mismatch between how the dashboard and extension saved explanations.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We connected browser tracking, AI explanations, saved research, and tab restoration into one cohesive experience.
What we learned
We learned how Chrome extensions work, how to integrate Gemini, and why agreeing on shared data structures matters when building in parallel.
What's next for MindTrail
We want to add session summaries, topic organization, and research exports to make saved knowledge easier to reuse.
