Zenogloss

Come to life, come to cultural conversations: Zenogloss is a correspondence app with an inbuilt translation, for cross-cultural connections

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Inspiration

We’ve found that most messenger app services are direct messaging in the form of text bubbles. This tends to facilitate quick, brief chats. It is usually quite difficult and awkward to maintain a lengthy conversation, and the nature of direct messaging pressures either party to make a rushed response. On the other hand, emails are usually used for long-form correspondence, but they are clunky by nature, and usually have non-intuitive mobile apps that make them frustrating to use. We are aiming at the niche that exists in the space between these two extremes. There is a previously unrealized method of communication that is intuitive and streamlined – akin to direct messaging – but retains the more thorough correspondence of email. Where direct messaging is too shallow, but email/snail mail too slow, Zenogloss can thrive. This middle ground of communication would be the perfect form to take advantage of for communication between pen pals. A pen pal – that is, someone closer to a stranger than a friend (currently) – is someone with whom deeper conversation would be required in order to form a bond. However, this is a relationship that would also benefit from the brevity provided by a streamlined messaging service. After all, not every day is interesting, and sometimes all that is needed is a quick update. With Zenogloss, the best of both worlds awaits!

How it works

For those who wish to create new cross-cultural friendships, it is possible to choose a random match. Potential pals with comparable interests are matched, and may begin their correspondence at their leisure and in their native languages. For those who wish to chat with known friends, it is also possible to add contacts by username. Just write and the translation service does the rest!

Prototype implementation

Our prototype is created in the React framework, using various React Native modules such as but not limited to:

  1. Gifted-Chat collection
  2. Google Translate React Native API
  3. Expo and various Expo modules We plan to build out the backend on MySQL and integrate Auth0 for easy authentication and security.

Challenges we ran into

While most of the front-end was familiar to us, our development hit a wall when we started trying to implement the Gifted-Chat module for message entry. Since none of the developers were familiar with Gifted-Chat, it was a fast-paced learning experience. Because of our unfamiliarity with Gifted-Chat, we were unable to create a messaging UI that fully conveyed the position we envisioned for Zenogloss between direct message and email. Due to this, as well as the time constraint, we were unable to implement a backend in our prototype. The time constraints also forced us to implement some amount of hardcoding for text entries and displays in the demo prototype.

What's next for Zenogloss

First and foremost on the roadmap is the fulfillment of our envisioned User Interface design philosophy. Currently we have a stand-in UI that resembles a run-of-the-mill direct messaging service. We have planned a complete visual overhaul of the messaging section of our app, as well as increasing compatibility for iOS. After that, we will be looking into a way to make translations more eloquent. Anyone who has used Google Translate before is no stranger to the oftentimes...eccentric translations. Following that, we will be looking at encryption of user information and data streams, for added privacy and security. Overall, we're not at all finished with Zenogloss! Big plans on the horizon.

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