Einsteinium: Your Virtual Chemistry Laboratory

Inspiration

My recent chemical manufacturing internship highlighted AI's pivotal role in minimizing waste by streamlining synthesis through efficient experiment planning. This inspired me to create a comprehensive app for laboratory preparation and experimental design conceptualization, benefiting both high school and university students. Originating from a public high school in the Philippines without early lab training, the app provides an accessible solution to spark enthusiasm for Chemistry. It allows students to play with the parameters, gaining a fundamental understanding of chemical synthesis. As a university student, the app aids in preparing for laboratory activities.

What it does

The app allows users to input the name of the chemical compound they want to synthesize. It then provides a brief background on the compound and a list of up to 5 reaction pathways based on previous research, which users can later choose from. Each pathway is accompanied by a short description and a reference (Note: references are not limited to English journals). The app also includes safety case studies related to the compound. Users can then select their preferred reaction pathway, choose the reagent amounts or desired yield, and thus control the final step-by-step procedure. Safety guidelines and a chatbot for additional questions are also provided.

How I built it

This app was built by using AI through PartyRock, and I used my experience in chemistry in designing the app.

Challenges I ran into

Prompt engineering was a bit tricky because there were times the AI wasn't understanding my instructions. I had to provide examples for referencing and calculations. The calculations and chemical equations and other information were wrong sometimes. It did not understand if and then statements very well, and I wish the app run even when other called widgets were blank as per instructions. The image widget could not make accurate molecular structures yet too.

Accomplishments that I am proud of

I enjoyed the whole process, and training it to calculate and reference the way I wanted to was something I am proud of even though it still makes mistakes sometimes. I honestly think the whole idea for its intended function is awesome. I also checked whether it provided details about illegal drugs synthesis and it did not, which is awesome because it's safe to use.

What I learned

I learned to think more logically and creatively such as constructing the instructions where the model could understand it better. I learned to be resourceful by testing other models which helped improve the app.

What's next for Einsteinium: Your Virtual Chemistry Laboratory

The future plans for "Einsteinium: Your Virtual Chemistry Laboratory" involve adding reaction mechanism diagrams and enhancing graphical interactivity to simulate a realistic lab environment. This addition aims to offer users a visual understanding of molecular processes and create a more engaging and immersive learning experience. Another idea is to promote environmental awareness by adding a waste disposal guide and an emissions and wastes calculator.

Built With

• partyrock