BREAKING: A team of four Malaysian developers just completed a race against time, creating an innovative AI-driven app during the Gemini 3 Hackathon in Singapore. The event, held on January 17, 2024, challenged participants to build a functional demo by 5:30 p.m., and the stakes were high with a prize pool of 100,000 credits.
The team, comprised of Chan Wei Khjan, Chan Ler-Kuan, Loh Wah Kiang, and Lee How Siem (Benny), embarked on a journey to develop a “feng shui” app that analyzes users’ outfits and workspaces in real time using AI technology. With only seven hours to prototype their app, the pressure was palpable as they moved from brainstorming to execution.
9:30 a.m.: The clock started ticking as the team gathered at Google’s developer space. Their initial concept revolved around creating an app that could assess properties based on feng shui principles. However, as the clock ticked down, they pivoted to the more feasible idea of an outfit and workspace analysis tool.
10:30 a.m.: The team began typing prompts into AI model Claude, generating a workflow and code that would power their application. Chan Wei Khjan led the prompting while Chan Ler-Kuan ensured the AI’s outputs aligned with traditional feng shui concepts. Meanwhile, Loh Wah Kiang and Lee How Siem worked tirelessly to refine the code and troubleshoot issues.
After an initial codebase was produced, the team faced a series of challenges, including bugs that hindered functionality. By 12:00 p.m., they had a rough version of the app, but real-time updates remained elusive.
Despite the mounting pressure, the team decided to skip lunch, focusing on refining their app instead. As they engaged more deeply with the AI, they saw improvements in how the app analyzed clothing and provided feng shui recommendations.
1:00 p.m.: The app successfully identified clothing colors and provided suggestions to enhance users’ luck based on feng shui principles. The excitement grew as the team tested features, revealing the potential of their creation.
As the afternoon wore on, the team maintained their momentum, creating a landing page that showcased their app’s capabilities. They even developed a catchy tagline: “A wisdom, not a superstition.”
3:00 p.m.: With time slipping away, the team filmed a demo video using AI-generated storyboards to present their product. They highlighted the app’s functionality, showcasing how it could be a game-changer for users interested in feng shui.
With the deadline looming, they put the finishing touches on their video and code. By 5:30 p.m., just 15 minutes before the deadline, they submitted their project, exhausted yet exhilarated.
Despite not winning a prize, the team felt their experience at the hackathon was invaluable. “Sometimes, the best experiences come from saying ‘yes’ without overthinking,” said Chan Ler-Kuan, reflecting on the unpredictable journey of innovation.
This intense day of vibe coding not only showcased the power of teamwork and technology but also highlighted the potential for AI applications in culturally significant practices. As hackathons continue to drive innovation, teams like this one demonstrate how creativity and collaboration can lead to groundbreaking solutions.
Stay tuned for more updates on emerging technologies and their impact on our daily lives.
