PaperOrbit

Landing page with a search bar and featured research papers
Radial map of a chosen central research papers and its related papers
Learning more about a specific paper shown in the node map

Inspiration

Research papers are often difficult to navigate due to the sheer volume of academic work published daily. Traditional databases rely on keyword-based search, which can make it hard to discover related works intuitively. We wanted to create a tool that helps researchers, students, and professionals explore papers through a visual, citation-based network—making research more engaging and efficient.

What it does

PaperOrbit is an interactive graph-based research paper database that allows users to search for academic papers and explore related works based on citations. When a user searches for a topic or a specific paper, the tool generates a graph visualization showing direct citations, forming a web of related works, and enabling users to navigate research landscapes intuitively.

How we built it

We structured the database using a graph database called Neo4j, where nodes represent research papers and edges represent citations. The backend is built with TypeScript and Node.js, handling search queries and graph traversal efficiently. The frontend uses Sigma.js for interactive graph visualization, allowing users to explore relationships dynamically.

Challenges we ran into

Data acquisition: Finding an accessible and comprehensive dataset of research papers and citations was a challenge.
Graph performance: Handling large-scale citation networks efficiently required optimization techniques like indexing and caching.
User experience: Designing an intuitive graph visualization that is both informative and easy to navigate took several iterations.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Successfully integrating a large-scale citation network into an interactive graph structure.
Implementing an intelligent search that suggests related papers beyond direct keyword matches.
Creating a visually appealing and user-friendly interface that enhances research exploration