SwampTracker

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  Our datapath

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  Our time calculation

Inspiration

The current Rider app is a pain to use, and the only thing anyone ever uses it for is to check the time before the next bus arrives. Integrating this into Google Assistant would mean everyone in Gainesville could have an easier opportunity into utilize the buses and minimize their carbon footprint.

What it does

It links the Google voice assistant to the public Transloc API used by the Rider app to bring you the information on approaching buses.

How we built it

We used the Google Action Console and DialogFlow to create the action, and pulled API information using JavaScript/Node.JS to supply the data.

Challenges we ran into

Linking the API interaction with the Google Assistant took many hours of trial and error. It was our first time using an API so we had a lot to learn. Also, making multiple API calls from within the same Assistant action was very difficult, so we had to rework the way we retrieved data.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Going from little to no knowledge of JavaScript to having a working application within 36 hours was such a great experience. Creating an app that can be practically used by so many students was also empowering.

What we learned

How to use JavaScript and Node.JS. Also, we become much more familiar with how the Google Assistant works and that we preferred it over Alexa. Oh, and asking for help is extremely helpful.

What's next for SwampTracker

Fix the bugs, add more features and possibly extend to more voice assistants.

Built With

• dialogflow
• firebase
• javascript
• node.js
• rts