http://www.anupmarajani.com

@lifeThinkT

Eatit is a grocery tracking app that helps you eat what you buy and buy what you eat.

In the United States, around 40 percent of all edible food is wasted. Consumers cause a significant portion of that waste. The average American throws away 20 pounds of food every month. Much of it is perfectly good, unused; fresh produce, meat, and dairy that gets spoiled from not being used in time. Eatit aims to reduce this waste by helping you eat what you buy and buy what you eat. It’s an app that allows you to keep track of groceries you have in your kitchen and nudges you to use them while they are still fresh. It uses the language of color and size to show everything you have in your kitchen. Over time, Eatit helps you to learn your food behaviors so that wasting less food becomes an effortless habit.

http://www.carrie.nyc

@carrieyuentsang

Meat Less is a fun, lighthearted campaign that aims to educate and empower people to reduce their meat consumption.

In the United States, 99 percent of livestock animals are raised in factory farms, where the production of meat and dairy requires large amounts of fuel, feed, and water. And multiple studies have found excessive meat consumption linked to a higher risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and obesity. Yet Americans continue to fuel the demand for mass meat production by consuming more meat than any other country. Meat Less is a fun, lighthearted campaign that aims to educate and empower people to willfully reduce their meat consumption. The website provides bite-sized facts that reveal the impacts of one meat-based meal. Text messages remind and encourage users to commit to just one meat free day per week. Meat Less reframes the conversation and nudges a small change in individual eating behavior, gradually shifting the status quo.

http://www.datriannameeks.com/earshot

@datriannam

meeksdd3@gmail.com

Earshot helps people find podcasts that resonate with them, while creating a more social listening experience.

Discovering new podcasts is a trial-and-error experience. You spend time finding and listening to new shows only to discover 10-15 minutes later that you don’t like the show, or the host’s styles isn’t what you’re in the mood for. Or worse, you get overwhelmed and give up. Earshot learns what you like and recommends new podcasts based on your preferences. Earshot allows you to offload the work of discovering new stories, focus on listening to podcasts you like, and share that experience with the people who matter most.

@debbieventures

dkoo@sva.edu

Recess is an easy-to-use scented watercolor kit that helps you decompress and feel renewed for the next day.

You know that feeling when you have too much to do and not enough time. You feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and anxious. Without time away from technology, these feelings can be exacerbated and lead to burnout. We need a way to regularly unwind to prevent this from happening. Recess uses activity prompts to guide you through a time of refreshment. Each prompt incorporates the soothing, repetitive motion of painting, a time for positive reflection and an opportunity to connect with others. During the painting process, the paints release pleasant scents which linger in the air and create a relaxing atmosphere. By taking time for yourself, you will feel calmer, happier, and more balanced.

http://www.hi-emily.com

@_nahcylime

emilymeichan@gmail.com

Owl is a companion that helps you fall asleep by creating a relaxation routine that calms your mind.

On average a person will sleep for a third of their lives: that’s a lot. Most adults have suffered from at least one episode of terrible sleep. We toss and turn in bed because our minds would not shut down. And in the morning we feel the effects of poor sleep. Owl is a smart companion that guides you into tranquility so you can fall asleep more quickly. It establishes a pre-sleep routine that consists of a calm bedtime alarm and a relaxation activity that soothes your mind and body.

http://www.hllrn.com

@jesshalloran

jess@hllrn.com

Collective is a digital platform where aspiring writers come together to gain the feedback and encouragement necessary to create high-calibre work.

Everybody has a story to tell, but not everybody gets a chance to tell it . Aspiring writers don't always have access to the support systems necessary to turn an idea in their head into reality. With Collective, that all changes. Not only do writers now have a platform to draft, revise, and publish stories, but they are backed by the support of a community of like-minded peer editors who constructively critique their work. On Collective, everyone plays dual roles of writer and editor. By editing others work, not only are they helping others in the community but they also learn more about the writing process.

http://nearbuy.nyc

@joshsucher

josh@thingswemake.com

Nearbuy helps shoppers find local stores that sell the things they're looking for.

Shopping locally can be an exercise in disappointment and compromise, especially if you're looking for something specific. Who sells it? Do they have it in stock? Are they open now? It's easy to lose patience — who's got all day to crisscross the city trying to hunt down whatever it is you're looking for? Before you give up and turn to the Internet, try Nearbuy. Nearbuy is a local shopping app that makes searching for the things you need much simpler and more convenient. It lets you search the inventories of local retailers all at the same time, letting you find precisely what you want, identify the stores that sell it, and get directions to their door. In doing so, Nearbuy keeps your quick errand from becoming an epic journey — and helps you support your community with your shopping dollars.

clo1007@gmail.com

REMEMvER is a mobile application with printing services that helps you remember and share your moments.

REMEMvER creates a card per day only with one picture, one comment, and one feeling. You can also see your detailed activities and print out your cards. This service offers a much more memorable way to share your memories with others and collect memories. It combines our needs for physical connection and the convenience of digital technology.

@karenolio

karenkn52@gmail.com

Charted is a dynamic system that allows the visually impaired to comprehend graphs and diagrams in math and science.

For the longest time, graphs and diagrams in math and science have been highly inaccessible by visually impaired students. Teachers or caretakers are often required to prepare custom graphs and diagrams for their students. This is not only inefficient, but it also strips the student of their independence. Charted, a dynamic tactile system, allows students to independently interpret graphs and diagrams. This system helps improve the level of comprehension of visual materials by making them available tactually. Additionally, Charted is receptive to touch input, allowing users to interact with the system to obtain information about the chart's different elements. Ultimately, the system serves as a tool to make math and science more accessible to the visually impaired.

http://macdevstudio.com

@macdevstudio

mmc@macdevstudio.com

AHEAD is an audio enhancer that adds functionality to headphones and increases our level of environmental context awareness.

AHEAD is a discrete audio enhancer that combines different input sources into a main sound stream and provides a way to showcase availability to increase our level of context awareness while wearing headphones.

http://www.hellohippo.co

@mxksslr

maxhkessler@gmail.com

Hippo helps you capture and reconnect with your ideas in a distracted and fragmented digital and physical world.

Our infinite digital landscapes and vibrant physical experiences can stimulate ideas, thoughts, and aspirations. With or without technology, curiosities happen and lead to thoughts that are naturally weightless and fleeting. Where do these thought bubbles go in our moments of inspirations and intention? Hippo creates agency and a deeper relationship with ourselves. It creates a physical presence for thoughts that might pop into your head, but otherwise run from you. Hippo’s physicality juxtaposes the weightlessness of ideas and thoughts, and enables us to access our fragmented inspirations.

http://stepzero.cooking

@nicbarajas

nic@stepzero.cooking

Redesigning recipes to better help the home chef by making prep, equipment, and actions clear.

Step Zero changes the relationship between the home chef and cooking by updating the recipe format. As a service, it parses the elements of the original recipe and reorganizes them to be obvious and actionable. It pulls out the necessary tools, prep and actions, and writes a new “prep” step, which is missing from traditional recipes. A visual equipment list and new emphasis on the actions in the cooking steps to make recipes easier to follow. Working with existing recipes found on the web, Step Zero provides a consistent design for any home chef to work from, regardless of the original source. For those less experienced in the kitchen, Step Zero establishes “mise en place,” a French term which means “to put things in their place,” making for straightforward cooking. For adept home cooks, the clear organization of Step Zero-designed recipe means they don’t have to re-read or worry about hidden elements in their recipes.

http://www.hsiungised.com

@rthsiung

rachel.hsiung.designs@gmail.com

NextElection breaks down the key information you need to vote in an upcoming election, explaining common but unfamiliar terms and concepts.

The American political system and the accompanying voting experience is fraught with complexity. For young people who are accustomed to finding information easily and quickly on their phones, this complexity is often an obstacle between them and the voting booth. NextElection aims to simplify the voting process and remove just one more of the many barriers that keep people who want to vote from voting. Plain language helps to demystify election terms, such as the type of election that is occurring (“What’s a federal primary?”) and an office that you might be voting for (“What’s a Judge of the Civil Court?”). An additional feature includes the ability to set up automated reminders so that this information is sent to you when you need it.

http://www.shixiaowang.com

@ShixiaoWANG

swang18@sva.edu

MuseX is an app that uses the user’s voice as an instrument to create layered musical tracks.

Though everyone listens to music, few know how to actually construct a song. Some people think you have to master a musical instrument – like the piano – or learn complicated software in order to be able to create music. It’s time to democratize the music-making process. With MuseX, making music is not limited to composers or musicians. MuseX works by breaking down songs into layered tracks, which the user can edit or add to simply by humming along. Users record their voice, then convert the track to a selected musical instrument. Multiple tracks layered together form a song. The user may start from scratch or select from a wide range of ready-made songs, which they can freely edit. MuseX provides an end-to-end experience – from listening to a favorite track to creating your own masterpiece – and brings the joy of music making into the hands of people everywhere.

http://sominheo.com

@sominheo

sheo5@sva.edu

SeeThru is an in-store interactive mirror that reveals ethical information about labor conditions in garment industry which educates people to help them make more responsible choices.

An online platform to clearly show the labor conditions behind articles of clothing. The garment industry is built on unethical conditions and most consumers would make more responsible choices if only they knew more at the time of purchase. SeeThru is an in-store interactive mirror that reveals ethical information about labor conditions in garment industry which educates people to help them make more responsible choices.

http://www.tingting-gao.com

@tingting5252

tgao1@sva.edu

Mo is an app that provides ongoing conversations which will help users stay focused on their work and accomplish the highest prioritized goal for the day.

Many people struggle with procrastination. They put off their work until the very last minute, and consequently face stress, panic, regret, and eventually fatigue. Most of them assume that this issue is caused by a lack of time management. And current solutions like general to-do list apps and project management tools help us only when we start. However, there are also complex psychological issues deep within our minds that keep us from simply starting. Mo is a digital friend that encourages and coaches you to start your work early. Through a conversational user interface, you build a trusting relationship with Mo.