TripTangle

Inspiration

We got tired of endless group chats trying to plan trips where no one could agree. Seeing friends argue about destinations (while stuck at airports with spotty WiFi) inspired two core features:

1. An AI mediator to settle "beach vs mountain" debates
2. Offline access for when travel plans fall apart mid journey

What It Does

1. Group Trip Planning:

   • Each member submits preferences (budget, interests)
   • Gemini API suggests destinations that satisfy everyone
   • Real-time voting system to choose the final spot

2. BlackOut Mode:

   • Bluetooth sharing between group members nearby
   • Critical info accessible offline (flight times, addresses)

How We Built It

• Frontend: SwiftUI for iOS
• AI Engine: Gemini API for destination recommendations
• Offline System:
  • CoreData for local storage
  • CoreBluetooth for device-to-device sharing (mock for demo)
• Backend: FastAPI + Python

Challenges

Accomplishments

• Working prototype built in 48 hours
• Successful demo showing:
  • AI suggesting Bali as compromise for beach/mountain debate
  • Offline access to itinerary during simulated WiFi outage
• Clean UI that handles group chaos

What We Learned

• Groups make decisions faster with AI suggestions
• People want offline access more than fancy features
• Bluetooth is harder than expected for production use

What's Next

1. Improve Offline Mode:

   • Actual Bluetooth message passing
   • Map caching for directions

2. Enhance AI:

   • Personalize suggestions based on past trips
   • Add budget conflict resolution

3. Android Version:

   • Explore Kotlin implementation

Built With

• fastapi
• gemini
• gemni
• postgresql
• python
• skyscanner
• swift