Last fall, Google put a call out to innovators around the world to incorporate emerging technologies like 5G, machine learning and foldables into apps and consumer experiences. One local team heeded the call and has been selected as one of the winners of the challenge.
Colin Shelton, lead Android engineer at Addison-based digital and mobile experience studio Bottle Rocket, along with a team of fellow Rocketeer (the name Bottle Rocket employees give themselves) engineers were selected as one of 10 winning projects in Google’s Android Developer Challenge.
“Our ML club is always looking for new opportunities to flex our technical chops and experiment with technology in new ways and this challenge was the perfect opportunity to do just that while also doing something good for the world,” Shelton said in a prepared statement.
The app that led to the success is called Path Finder. With the goal of helping the visually impaired, Path Finder helps users navigate a space by identifying opjects in their path. The app uses TensorFlow Lite to calculate the distance of a given object, as well as their trajectories in a person’s path. It then notifies the user through auditory alerts and touch alerts which use a devices vibration capabilities like Morse Code.
As one of the winning ideas, the team will get mentorship through Google’s bootcamp program, as well as a featured spot on the online Google Play store.
Other winning apps are below (descriptions are by Google).
- AgroDoc helps farmers diagnose plant disease and make treatment plans.
- AgriFarm helps farmers detect plant diseases and prevent major damage in fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, corn and potatoes.
- Eskke streamlines mobile money management for people in the Congo, letting them transfer money, pay bills, buy subscriptions and essential airtime through SMS.
- Leepi helps students learn hand gestures and symbols for American Sign Language.
- MixPose is a live streaming platform that gives yoga teachers and fitness professionals the opportunity to teach, track alignment, and give feedback in real-time.
- Snore & Cough helps you identify and analyze snoring and coughing, to help provide info to users seeking assistance from a medical professional.
- Stila pairs with a wearable device, like the Fitbit wristband or a device running on Wear OS by Google to monitor and track the body’s stress levels. By monitoring stress levels over time, you have the chance to better understand and manage stress in your life.
- Trashly makes recycling easier. Just point the on-device camera at an item, and through object detection, the app identifies and classifies plastic and paper cups, bags, bottles, etc
- UnoDogs helps owners better support their pet’s wellness, providing customized information and fitness programs.
Bottle Rocket was launched in 2008 and was acquired by WPP in 2013 for an undisclosed amount. Since its founding, the company has grown to more than 250 employees. The company has made recent headlines, announcing a permanent company-wide ‘work from wherever’ model and by making Juneteenth a company holiday.
“It's proof that a small group of committed and passionate people all leaning in the same direction can achieve big things together,” said Calvin Carter, founder and CEO at Bottle Rocket.
