[Ogólna] [SFIstaki] Presently

Inspiration

Presently is a desktop app that solves one of the biggest modern problems - paying attention and staying focused on what you want to do.

The younger generations know this especially well. Want to study? Bet you can recall wanting to watch some reels instead. Determined to get around to that cool movie? Then you'll have to resist the urge to check your notifications.

We were strongly inspired by wanting to do one thing at a time ourselves - and to do it _mindfully.

What it does

Our app tracks the pose of your head and reminds you to get back to what you were doing, should you check your phone or decide to multitask away from the computer.

How we built it

Using Electron, a React framework for building desktop apps. We used Google's MediaPipe Face Landmarker for extracing facial features and calculating head pose.

Challenges we ran into

Optimizing facial feature extraction for accuracy across different lighting conditions, camera qualities, and user positions
Translating raw activity and inactivity data into meaningful, actionable metrics and intuitive visualizations
Building and structuring an Electron application without prior experience, including managing processes and app architecture

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Delivering a complete, functional product that runs reliably in real time
Creating a user experience that is helpful and minimally intrusive, rather than distracting

What we learned

How to integrate and optimize an ML-powered feature within a JavaScript-based application
How to manage background processes in a desktop environment using Electron
How to strike the right balance between helpful reminders and notification fatigue

What's next for Presently

Refining detection accuracy and expanding support for different environments and hardware setups
Introducing customizable sensitivity and notification preferences to better match individual workflows
Developing deeper analytics to help users understand and improve their focus habits over time
Exploring integrations with productivity tools and ecosystems to embed Presently into daily routines