Project Overview

Geo Real is a cross-platform mobile application that allows users to create and share location-based picture galleries. Users create 'Geo-Spheres' at specific locations like dorm rooms or houses. When friends enter these zones, they're prompted to capture a photo, contributing to the communal photo collection of that Geo Sphere. This innovative approach offers a unique way to chronicle memories linked to the places where they're made.

Origins

The project originated at a hackathon at the University of Washington called DubHacks. As a newcomer to programming, I found this hackathon to be a significant learning experience. Although my initial contributions were limited, the high-pressure environment of the hackathon highlighted the areas I needed to focus on and motivated me to enhance my skills.

Development and Technical Challenges

Initially, Geo Real was an Android app built with Java, featuring a Python Flask backend. About eight months later, after learning Flutter, I revisited the project to develop a new frontend using my newly acquired Flutter skills. A major challenge was implementing location-based tracking, achieved by leveraging the Google Maps API.

Features

The app features a user-friendly interface that allows users to create, share and view geo-fenced picture galleries. The application tracks the location and identifies when they have entered a Geo-Sphere. Users are then prompted to take a photo, which is then added to the communal gallery. The app also features a map view that displays the location of all Geo-Spheres. Users can decide between a list view and a map view to see geo-spheres near them.

Future Enhancements

A current challenge is enabling the app to track location when the phone is turned off. Due to the limitations of the Apple ecosystem and its integration with Flutter, this feature has been particularly challenging to implement. Continued work in this area is a key focus for future development.