RipeMind

RipeMind is a Machine Learning web application that detects if your produce is rotten or fresh. It uses a convolutional neural network to accomplish this. It includes a secure login system.

Comment

Inspiration

We were inspired by our college dorms, where a lot of our food goes to waste because we don't know if it's safe to eat or not. We wanted to build an application where we could reduce food waste for not just college students, but everyone in our community. This could be used at the local farmers market, where prospective buyers could verify that the produce they're purchasing is fresh.

What it does

RipeMind takes a test that is hard for many and throws a Machine Learning Convolutional Neural Network at it. It uses a test and train dataset for a variety of different produce to determine if it's fresh or rotten. RipeMind also has a log in system.

How we built it

We built this web application with flask, pytorch, and MySQL. We stored user data in a remote MySQL server, we used a SHA 256 encryption algorithm to securely store passwords. Pytorch was used to test, train, and deploy the machine learning algorithm which powers the prediction algorithm. We used flask to connect everything, and also used a bit of CSS (bootstrap) and HTML to display the webpages.

Challenges we ran into

As our team didn't have great experience with flask, we ran into a lot of syntax issues and package issues with the framework. In addition, connecting MySQL database to flask was a complex task due to the use of stored procedures.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

As a first time hacking team, we are very proud that we were able to actually produce something. The ability to push through mentally draining bugs, a simple misspelled word, or a version control nightmare on git made this project so much more rewarding.

What we learned

We learned many things throughout this project, such as control flow, flask, multiple python libraries. We also enhanced our understanding of machine learning, python, and SQL. In addition, we gained valuable skills working together on a team.

What's next for RipeMind

RipeMind has a interesting future in enterprise quality control, from opportunities for wholesalers to detect rotten food on shelves, food delivery companies using it to detect food damaged during shipment. It also has a possibility to be used on mobile apps, where users can utilize their mobile camera to take a quick picture of the produce. Either way, the future of RipeMind is bright!

Share this project:

Updates