OVERVIEW
SmartPlate, a pioneer in the health and wellness technology space, had developed a groundbreaking IoT device: a plate that could instantly analyze the nutritional content of food. They engaged OBLIQ to design and build the sophisticated mobile application that would act as the “brain” for their hardware. Our mission was to create a seamless hardware-software ecosystem that would deliver a revolutionary, data-driven experience for health-conscious consumers.
Involvement
- AI & Machine Learning Integration Services
- Native & Cross-Platform Mobile Application Development
- UI/UX Design & Research
- Data Migration & Management Services
Challenges
This project involved solving several complex technical and user experience challenges at the intersection of hardware, software, and data science.
- Complex Hardware-Software Integration: The app needed to establish a flawless and reliable Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connection with the physical plate, ensuring instant and accurate data transfer.
- Real-Time Data Interpretation: The app was required to receive complex data from the plate's sensors and, using an advanced algorithm, instantly translate it into easy-to-understand nutritional information.
- Creating an Engaging User Experience: Beyond just showing data, the app needed to be a comprehensive and motivating lifestyle tool for users to track their diet, set goals, and see their progress over time.
The OBLIQ Solution
OBLIQ delivered a sophisticated mobile application that formed the core of the SmartPlate user experience.
- Seamless Bluetooth LE Integration: Our engineers built a robust and reliable BLE connection protocol to ensure seamless, real-time data transfer from the plate to the mobile app with minimal latency.
- Advanced Data Science Algorithm: We developed and integrated a complex algorithm to interpret the plate's raw sensor data, accurately identifying food items and calculating detailed nutritional information like calories, macros, and micronutrients.
- Comprehensive Nutrition Platform: We designed an engaging UI featuring a daily nutrition journal, water intake tracking, goal setting, and dynamic data visualizations like progress rings to motivate users.
- Hybrid Food Database: We built a backend system that combined the plate's real-time analysis with a vast, searchable food database, allowing users to seamlessly switch between automatic and manual meal logging.
Our Approach
Our approach was a highly integrated, multi-disciplinary effort focused on solving deep technical challenges while never losing sight of the end-user experience.
Deep Technical Collaboration
We began by embedding our mobile engineers with the SmartPlate hardware team to collaboratively define and refine the BLE data transfer protocol, ensuring both hardware and software spoke the same language perfectly.
Iterative Algorithm Development
Building the food recognition model was a significant challenge. Our data scientists and mobile developers worked in tandem, using an iterative process of building, testing, and refining the algorithm with real-world food data to improve its accuracy.
Agile UI/UX Process
We conducted multiple rounds of user testing with early prototypes. This agile feedback loop was critical for simplifying a data-heavy application and creating a user experience that was motivating and intuitive rather than overwhelming.
Solving Data Complexity
Our primary challenge was translating raw, abstract sensor data into something meaningful for the user. Our solution involved creating a sophisticated data pipeline within the app that processed this information in near real-time, delivering a “magical” user experience.
The Results
The SmartPlate app was a critical component in the successful launch of a first-of-its-kind consumer product.
- Successful IoT Product Launch: We successfully brought a data-driven consumer wellness product to market, creating a complete and cohesive hardware-software ecosystem.
- Empowered Health-Conscious Users: The app provided a powerful and accurate tool for users to track their diet, understand their eating habits, and make healthier lifestyle choices.
- Established a Tech-Forward Brand: The sophisticated and reliable mobile app solidified SmartPlate's position as an innovator in the competitive health and wellness technology space.
