Octavius's Workshop

Inspiration

Our team was inspired by the steampunk theme, but we craved helping the masses. So we combined these two ideas and gave the steampunk world what it needs to function. Access to readily available parts and the expertise of the great and wise Octavius.

As a team, we wanted to provide access to Octavius and his surplus of knowledge and pieces for a discount at the hopes of providing accessibility to the inventing scene.

What it does

Octavius can provide over 150 unique mechanical and electrical parts at a satisfactory price. Provide expert feedback and advice on the many predicaments and situations a lonely tinkerer can come into in the great wide world. The website uses blockchain to facilitate transactions and to maintain the privacy and safety that Octavius promises. This maintains the integrity of Octavius as a provider and as a trustworthy website.

How we built it

Our site is powered by an Express.js API, which seamlessly connects to a Firestore database to manage and maintain user data, including authentication and historical purchase records. This setup enables us to track user transactions effectively, allowing users to easily view their past purchases. For the front end, we first designed in figma, then we employed a Vite React app styled with TailwindCSS using the shadcn/ui component library to create a responsive and visually engaging user interface. Additionally, we integrated a Python-powered chatbot utilizing Cloudflare AI, designed to assist users in navigating the site and finding specific parts or products with ease.

Challenges we ran into

Our project presented a variety of unique challenges. Integrating a NoSQL database was new territory for our team, and we faced a learning curve in managing data structure and retrieval efficiently. Training the AI model to act as a character and use the right information was also difficult, as it had a tendency to use real-world data instead of what we provided. Additionally, we struggled with working with Cloudflare’s API, and realized Cloudflare offered a dedicated Python library too late into the process to implement it. Designing a steampunk-inspired interface added an extra layer of difficulty, as the intricate and cluttered aesthetic typical of steampunk made it challenging to create a clean and user-friendly UI.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We were able to employ AI for the first time and while it did not come out perfect, we have produced a product that we can be proud of while knowing where to improve for next time. For most of the team, this is the first hackathon coming to an end and we can be thoroughly proud of the things we accomplished in the last 25 hours. Our team managment was something to be admired as we divided labor efficiently and still managed to finish the project despite members having to leave for sleeping and for our jobs.

What we learned

This project was a tremendous learning experience for our team, especially as it was our first time working with AI. Coming from diverse programming backgrounds, we had to quickly adapt to each other’s technologies, learning to collaborate effectively despite our varied technical foundations. Additionally, since none of us had prior experience with NoSQL databases, we navigated the steep learning curve together, gaining valuable insights into database management in a non-relational context.

What's next for Octavius's Workshop

Moving forward, we plan to integrate the chatbot directly into the site for a seamless user experience, making it even easier for users to find what they need. We also aim to incorporate the Midnight blockchain to support secure and transparent transactions, enhancing trust and reliability within the platform. Additionally, we intend to implement core e-commerce features, allowing users to add items to their cart, complete purchases, and view their transaction history, providing a comprehensive and convenient shopping experience.