Verdure

Inspiration

Your phone knows a lot about you – messages, photos, location history, you name it. But AI assistants can't effectively use that info without sending it to big company servers. We created Verdure to prove you don't have to choose between privacy and helpful AI.

What it does

Verdure tackles notification overload with on-device AI. We get over 100 notifications a day, causing non-stop interruptions and decision fatigue. Verdure smartly grades notifications based on what's important to you and adapts as things change. You can prioritize work messages during business hours, surface texts from specific contacts, or filter promotions – and it all happens in real-time. Best part? All processing happens on your phone, so your data stays private.

How we built it

We integrated Google's Gemini Nano to run entirely on Android devices. Using LineageOS as our foundation, we got system-level access to notifications—something regular apps can't do—letting us intercept and analyze them in real-time. This required custom ROM development, optimization for mobile hardware constraints, and building a dynamic priority scoring system that learns from user feedback without sending data anywhere.

Challenges we ran into

The biggest challenge was achieving sub-100ms response times while managing battery life on mobile hardware. Working with LineageOS and custom ROM development introduced complexity around build toolchains, dependency management, and Android's security model. We also had to balance giving users granular control over their preferences without overwhelming them with complexity.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We built a working prototype that actually runs AI models locally on Android devices while maintaining real-time performance. We proved that privacy and functionality aren't opposing forces—you can have intelligent AI assistance without sending your data to corporate servers. Most importantly, we created something that solves a real problem people face every day.

What we learned

The big lesson? Privacy and functionality aren't enemies—it's an engineering challenge. Modern on-device models mean we can make AI both smart and respectful of your autonomy. We also learned the value of starting narrow: notification management gives us a concrete problem to solve while establishing the technical foundation for something bigger.

What's next for Verdure

Notification grading is just the start. We're building Verdure into a full personal AI assistant that learns your preferences, works seamlessly across your phone, and never leaves your device. We envision contextual assistance across all phone functions—calendar, messages, emails, productivity tools—all while keeping your data completely under your control. AI that serves you, not companies.

Your data. Your device. Your AI.

Built With

• kotlin