Hack-API 2019
The Developer Student Club at Ashesi University hosted its annual hackathon dubbed the Hack-API on the 5th of December 2019. A hackathon is an event whereby teams come together and use Google Technologies to solve pressing societal problems. This event kicked off with opening remarks from our very own DSC Lead, Hannah Lormenyo together with our special guests — Baddies In Tech. This was a 24-hour event which saw more than five teams being formed with several solutions being presented at the end of the Hack API event.
Judging Criteria
In presenting their proposed solutions, participants had to touch on the following aspects:
- Problem statement
- Proposed solution
- Technological tools used in coming up with the solution
- Anticipated social impact
- A demonstration 😉.
The solutions were judged based on the sustainability of the solution, its impact and its technical difficulty and originality. For a solution to be considered, the solution must first of all solve a real life problem and must use some Google products or APIs.
Some of the Solutions Presented
The following solutions were presented during the Hack API 2019:
1. Quevy App
Quevy App is an app that allows speakers at conferences or product owners to gather questions/feedback from their audience or customers. A user (i.e. speaker/presenter) of this application generates a special code which when given out allows the audience to input questions that can be viewed in real time (instant feedback).
Problem statement: Speakers at conferences have limited time during their talks which affects the time allocated for questions from audience which leads to the conference not fully addressing the concerns which the audience might have during the meeting.
Solution: Quevy App — a real time mobile application that allows users/hosts to receive questions or feedback instantly.
Tools used: Flutter, Dart, Firebase/Firestore and Figma.
Impact: A user can gather information from his/her target audience prior to his presentation hence improving the quality of that presentation. Questions from the audience can be viewed real-time during the presentation, hence giving the user time to review them and only pick those that are really important.
How it works:
Speaker: The speaker downloads the app, opens it and chooses the “Receive Questions” option. From there the speaker then clicks “Generate Code”, leading two codes being generated. The first code is given to the audience for them to use to ask their questions and the second code is used by the speaker to view the questions asked by the audience.
Audience: Downloads the app, selects “Ask Question” and then inputs the code which he/she is given by the speaker. He/she can then type his/her question.
2. SHARP
SHARP is a mobile application that enables customers to make easy payments using QR Code — integrated payment services.
Problem statement: The use of physical cash restricts customers in many ways during shopping. It also leads to a lot of insecurities and runs a risk of it getting lost.
Solution: A mobile application that utilizes a QR code that is generated by shop owners to collect payments. This mobile application integrates payment solutions such as MTN Mobile Money, Vodafone Cash, Banking solution e.t.c. into the app which are then activated via a QR Code, allowing customers to make payments.
Tools used: Flutter, Firebase, MTN MOMO API and QR Code Package.
Impact: This application can be adopted as a shop payment system as well as local transports’ payment system. The frequent use of this application can reduce the use of physical cash hence increasing security.
How it works: A customer scans a QR code generated by the shop owner to make payment. The shop owner receives an interface on his/her mobile device, he/she enters the total amount of times bought and sends out a request to receive payment. The customer chooses a payment service (i.e. Mobile Money), enters details such as PIN and confirms payment. Both parties receive a confirmation and a digital receipt is generated.
3. ARTE
ARTE is a digital platform for art lovers and artists to sell and purchase art in Ghana.
Problem statement: Ghana has a vibrant and bustling art scene with a lot of creative and talented people in this field however most of this art is still done on traditional media like paper or canvas, leaving the digital art scene underutilised. Arte seeks to solve the difficulties faced in selling and finding digital art in Ghana.
Solution: An all-inclusive digital platform that allows both art lovers and artists to post their art freely and securely without the fear of piracy, connecting them to potential clients who would like to purchase the art. All transaction are done on the platform. When art is purchased, the artist gets an amount less that the platform commission (1.5% + charges) which they can cash out at their own convenience an the customer gets a prompt to download the artwork.
Tools used: Node JS, Android, Cloudinary, FlutterWave, Google Social Login, Firebase Messaging, Mongo DB.
Impact: ARTE reduces digital piracy as well as opens a new stream of passive income for digital artists. It also provides users with authentic and high-quality graphic assets for personal use, media or commerce.
4. STUDOC
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STUDOC is a free, dynamic and interactive web-based text editor that generates and publishes student work in a standard institution — defined documenttion format.
Problem statement: Due to the substandard nature of most students’ documentation and the lack of publising platforms for students, great discoveries in academia are being hindered.
Solution: STUDOC seeks to solve the problem faced with poor documentation of studet projects.
Tools used: Python, React JS, Sphinx, Flask, Flask — Restful, Google Storage, Google App Engine, Google Cloud Funtions and Firebase.
Impact: STUDOC helps users produce a standard documentation for all their future projects as well as provide them with access to other students’ projects to guide them as they are writing their own projects. It also allows them to publish their own work for public consumption.
5. Dove
Dove is an application that helps to identify places affected by natural disasters and other disasters through tweets on twitter.
Technologies used: Python Tweepy, Scikit Learn, Twitter API, Google Maps
Impact: It creates more awareness on natural disasters around the world. It also helps in making decisions in relation to national disasters like which areas that need improvement in drainage system. Dove also provides more data for further research.
Winners and Prizes 🎉🎉🎉
1. Dove (GHC 1000 plus cloud credits from Digital Ocean)
2. Quevy (GHC 600.00 plus swags)
3. Arte (GHC 400.00 plus swags)
Every team got swags from the various sponsors.
Sponsors
The HackAPI 2019 was sponsored by:
- Developer Student Club Sub-Suharan Africa
- Ashesi University,
- CodeLn
- Developers in Vogue
- Digital Ocean
- Baddies in Tech
- Code the Change
Event Gallery
Appreciation 😊
We would like to express our deepest appreciation to the Developer Student Club Ashesi University Core Team and Our ever helpful patron, Dr. David Ebo Adjepon — Yamoah for the great work and effort that was put into making this event a success.
To our sponsors, this event would not have happened without your support. Thank you so much and we hope to have many more events with your sustained partnership and support.
Now to all our participants, thank you so much for your time, your code, your smiles and the life you brought into the event. We hope to see you soon in the next HACK-API hackathon.
