Tag Archives: Influence

Global Developers Share How They Use Inclusive Design

Posted by Lyanne Alfaro, DevRel Program Manager, Google Developer Studio

Developer Journey is a monthly series highlighting diverse and global developers sharing relatable challenges, opportunities, and wins in their journey. Every month, we will spotlight developers around the world, the Google tools they leverage, and the kind of products they are building.

This month we speak with global developers across Google Developer Experts, Google Developer Groups, and beyond to learn more about their favorite Google tools, the applications they’ve built to serve diverse communities and the role of inclusive design in their process.

Lamis Chebbi

Republic of Tunisia

Google Developer Expert, Angular

Senior Software Engineer

Twitter

LinkedIn

What Google tools have you used to build?

I use Lighthouse and Google PageSpeed Insights to audit my application's performance and check my accessibility score. I can learn a lot about my application users and measure their engagement through Google Analytics. I have also used: Angular, Angular Dev tools, Firebase, TensorFlow and some services through Google Cloud Platform.

Which tool has been your favorite to use? Why?

On a daily basis I use Angular to develop my web applications. It helped me develop web applications faster with less code, less debugging time, and high scalability. The Angular CLI automates a lot of tasks, including the upgrade process, which saves a lot of time.

Please share with us about something you’ve built in the past using Google tools.

I have built a lot of web apps and progressive web apps using Angular, Firebase and TensorFlow in various fields from insurance, to banking, retail and education.

What will you create with Google Bard?

I'm planning on creating a blog using Google Bard and to generate content in different languages and enable some search and updates for content.

What role does inclusive design play in your development process?

Accessibility is no longer an option today. It is as important as other development goals and should be automated in the development process using the right tools.

What advice would you give someone starting in their developer journey?

Here’s a few pieces of advice for other professionals:

Invest in learning as much as you can and always practice the technologies you learn.

Don't forget that practice makes perfect.

Join developer communities and get a mentor; you will learn a lot and receive a lot of help.

Try to keep up with new technologies and trends that will open new perspectives for you.

You’ll probably make some mistakes. Be willing to accept it and learn from it.

Amani Bisimwa

Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Google Developer Expert, Firebase

Google Developer Groups Uvira Lead

Frontend Developer

Twitter

YouTube

What Google tools have you used to build?

I am using Angular and Firebase.

Which tool has been your favorite to use? Why?

Firebase is my favorite. I like how Firebase has simplified things by providing a Backend as Service. You no longer need to manage your own servers, worry about scalability, or other Backend complexities.

Please share with us about something you’ve built in the past using Google tools.

I have built some private ERP apps that help small local traders to manage their business (stock management, finance and hotels).

What will you create with Google Bard?

I always use Bard for guidance to document and test code. I hope to use it for more projects in the future.

What role does inclusive design play in your development process?

The role of a designer in the development process is so important to me. Not only does it allow me to arrange the elements well on the screen, but it also ensures that the application is accessible to users living with disabilities. The designer also knows how to choose colors, contrasts and hierarchy of different elements.

How do you prioritize accessibility alongside other development goals?

Accessibility is a priority for me when creating an app or product. I consider accessibility at every stage of the development process. I use a variety of tools and resources to ensure my apps are accessible to everyone, including people with visual impairments, hearing impairments, motor disabilities and cognitive disabilities.

What advice would you give someone starting in their developer journey?

My advice is: Choose your path and stick to it because there are several distractions from the trends of new technologies on social media especially on Twitter. Don't skip the steps; learn the fundamentals. It's important because even to improve a prompt with generative AI, you need to have a solid understanding in your field.

Enrique López Mañas

Munich, Germany

Google Developer Expert, Android

Freelance Software Engineer

Twitter

LinkedIn

What Google tools have you used to build?

Android Studio is my daily tool. I have used other tools or frameworks (like Firebase or TensorFlow) in the past as well. My choice of tool depends on the needs of the project I am currently engaged with.

Which tool has been your favorite to use? Why?

Android Studio is my absolute favorite, which is not a surprise for an Android Developer.

Please share with us about something you’ve built in the past using Google tools.

I have worked in many apps and frameworks in the past. The Deutsche Bahn (German Train) application, a Corona app for the Arab Emirates, the app for Alibaba couriers in Vietnam, and now the Google Maps library for Compose.

What will you create with Google Bard?

Bard and other tools like ChatGPT help me with the development of apps and software in general. I do feel they are not yet ready to significantly impact the development process. They still suffer from many inaccuracies and hallucinations.

How do you prioritize accessibility alongside other development goals?

Much less than I would actually like to. Often companies are on a budget and some important things tend to get deprioritized. As a developer (and consultant) my role is to advise them, and A11y is one of the main topics that tend to be underrated.

For instance, do you know that approximately 20% of the users in Switzerland have some form of disability, and can benefit from apps with accessibility integrated? I was really surprised when I heard this number, and I am fairly confident most people don't know about it. If there were more awareness, apps would benefit more from A11y practices.

What advice would you give someone starting in their developer journey?

For new developers: ask all the questions. Never leave a room with a doubt or a question and without an answer. Even more senior people do not have all the answers all the time, and the only way to know if they do is to ask questions. Do not feel embarrassed by raising your hand in a meeting. Ask all the questions you need. The quality of your life will be determined by the quality of your questions.

Source: Google for Developers Blog - News about Web, Mobile, AI and Cloud

How Machine Learning GDE Henry Ruiz is inspired by resilience in his community

Posted by Kevin Hernandez, Developer Relations Community Manager

For Hispanic Heritage Month, we are celebrating Henry Ruiz, Machine Learning GDE, and Latin American and Hispanic developer voices.

Henry Ruiz, Machine Learning GDE, originally had aspirations of becoming a soccer player in his home country of Colombia, but when his brother got injured he knew that he had to have a backup plan. With a love for video games, Henry decided to pursue an education in development and eventually discovered the world of computer science.

Today, Henry is a Computer Scientist, working as a Research Specialist (Data Scientist) at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and finishing his Ph.D. in Engineering at Texas A&M University.

Image of Henry Ruiz in the field at Texas A&M University AgriLife Research Department

Henry, who barely spoke English before immigrating to the United States, has now progressed to the point of preparing to defend his PhD, thanks to the assistance of the Hispanic community.

As a first-generation college student in the United States, Henry was looking for a community where he could feel connected. He received a lot of support from international students and mentions that he always received a warm welcome specifically from the Hispanic community. Joining different clubs on campus, Henry connected with others through food and shared experiences and they served as a support system for one another by creating study groups. Through these connections, he began to notice the impact of developers from Latin America which deeply inspired him. Henry reflects, “We are considered a minority and don’t always have the same opportunities that developed countries have. So we have to be creative and put in an extra effort. So to see these stories of minority developers making an impact on the world is very significant to me.” Henry views Hispanic Heritage Month as a celebration of what Hispanic people have accomplished and it drives him in his work.

"Hispanic Heritage Month is a celebration of the hard work, the resilience, and the work that people in the community have done,”

- Henry Ruiz, Machine Learning GDE

Image of Henry Ruiz conducting research at Texas A&M University AgriLife Research Department

Henry has seen progress being made in recognizing Hispanic contributions in the tech industry. “Big companies have been aware of the challenges that we have as minorities and they started creating different programs to get community members more involved in tech companies,” he explains. Well-known corporations have hosted conferences for the Hispanic community and Google in particular, gives out scholarships such as the Generation Google Scholarship. This makes him feel seen and gives the community visibility in the industry. When he sees Hispanics in leadership positions, it shows him what can be accomplished, which fuels his work.

Today, Henry has worked on generative AI projects and leverages Google technologies (Cloud, TensorFlow, Kubernetes) to tackle challenges in the agricultural industry. Specifically, he’s working on a project to detect diseases and pests in bananas. With the strong foundation of his community, Henry is actively helping communities with his research. On his advice to the Hispanic community, Henry imparts the following words of wisdom, “Although some might not have access to the same tools and technologies as others, we have to remember that we are resilient, creative, and are problem solvers. Just continue moving forward.”

You can find Henry on LinkedIn, GitHub, and via his GDE Developer Profile.

The Google Developer Experts (GDE) program is a global network of highly experienced technology experts, influencers, and thought leaders who actively support developers, companies, and tech communities by speaking at events and publishing content.

Source: Google for Developers Blog - News about Web, Mobile, AI and Cloud

#WeArePlay | Meet Solape and Yomi from Nigeria. More stories from around the world

Posted by Leticia Lago, Developer Marketing

We continue to be inspired by the amazing #WeArePlay stories of app and game creators on Google Play, from all corners of the Earth. This month, hear about a game changing financial app for women in Nigeria to an early learning platform that uses augmented reality.

First up, we’re in Nigeria where two former colleagues at an investment bank, Solape and Yomi, channeled their economic expertise into improving women’s accessibility to finance. HerVest is an app exclusively designed for farmers and small business owners, with saving and investment tips, financial education and credit options. Intent on improving gender equality in the financial sphere, the pair plan to reach a million women by the end of 2024 and “become the go-to financial platform for the financially underserved in Africa”.

#WeArePlay Juliana BLW Social Singapore g.co/play/weareplay Google Play

Now we’re crossing the ocean into maritime Singapore, where native Brazilian Juliana launched her baby-led weaning app, BLW Meals. When her firstborn was 6 months old, she struggled to transition her onto solid foods. Unable to find adequate resources in her mother language, Portuguese, she decided to make her own platform, sharing everything she’d learned. Today, she’s overjoyed by how much the app - also offered in Spanish and English - has supported other moms through their weaning journey. Soon, she’s launching a new feature for chatting directly with nutritionists, ensuring parents always have an expert on hand to guide them.

#WeArePlay Harry & Luke Visible London, United Kingdom g.co/play/weareplay Google Play

Next, we’re heading over to the UK to meet mechanical engineer Harry, who’s on a mission to revolutionize perceptions around energy-limiting health conditions. When he got sick with long Covid after a mild infection in 2020, his ability to do the wild, athletic activities he once enjoyed – like cycling across Iceland – was no longer on the cards. Disappointed by the lack of treatment options, he decided to create a health monitoring app, partnering up with friend and tech lawyer Luke to make it happen. On Visible, patients are empowered to track and monitor their symptoms and activity levels. The anonymized data is also used by medical researchers to improve understanding and treatment options, feeding into Harry’s larger goal of “working to change health policy laws to recognize these conditions”.

#WeArePlay Ilan, Nastassja & Edison Pleiq Santiago, Chile g.co/play/weareplay Google Play

Finally, we’re heading to Chile, South America, to meet brothers Ilan and Edison and their friend Nastassja. A veritable dream team, the trio began their tech careers running an augmented reality advertisement agency in their native Venezuela. But when they saw how much kids loved their commercials, they decided to instead use their AR skills to develop an education platform for children. After being offered a place on an accelerator program, they moved to Chile to launch PleIQ – an immersive, early learning app for kids aged 3-8. Next, they’re expanding across Latin America with the goal of “improving education quality to create a more equal society”.

Discover more global #WeArePlay stories and share your favorites.

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Source: Google for Developers Blog - News about Web, Mobile, AI and Cloud

Announcing the Inaugural Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First cohort

Posted by Yariv Adan, Director of Cloud Conversational AI and Pati Jurek, Google for startups Accelerator Regional Lead

This article is also shared on Google Cloud Blog

Today’s startups are addressing the world's most pressing issues, and artificial intelligence (AI) is one of their most powerful tools. To empower startups to scale their business towards success in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First offers a 10-week, equity-free program for AI-first startups in partnership with Google Cloud. Designed for seed to series A startups based in Europe and Israel, the program helps them grow and build responsibly with AI and machine learning (ML) from the ground up, with access to experts from Google Cloud and Google DeepMind, a mix of in-person and virtual activities, 1:1 mentoring, and group learning sessions.

In addition, the program features deep dives and workshops focused on product design, business growth, and leadership development. Startups that are selected for the cohort also benefit from dedicated Google AI technical expertise and receive credits via the Google for Startups Cloud Program.

Out of hundreds of impressive applications, today we welcome the inaugural cohort of the Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First. The program includes 13 groundbreaking startups from eight different countries, all focused on different verticals and with a diverse array of founder and executive backgrounds. All participants are leveraging AI and ML technologies to solve significant problems and have the potential to transform their respective industries.

Congratulations to the cohort!

We are thrilled to present the inaugural Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First cohort:

Annea.Ai (Germany) utilizes AI and Digital Twin technology to forecast and prevent possible breakdowns in renewable energy assets, such as wind turbines.

Checktur.io (Germany) empowers businesses to manage their commercial vehicle fleets efficiently via an end-to-end fleet asset management ecosystem while using AI models and data-driven insights.

Exactly.ai (UK) lets artists create images in their own unique style with a simple written description.

Neurons (Denmark) has developed a precise AI model that can measure human subconscious signals to predict marketing responses.

PACTA (Germany) provides AI-driven contract lifecycle management with an intelligent no-code workflow on one central legal platform.

Quantic Brains (Spain) empowers users to generate movies and video games using AI.

Sarus (France) builds a privacy layer for Analytics & AI and allows data practitioners to query sensitive data without having direct access to it.

Releva (Bulgaria) provides an all-in-one AI automation solution for eCommerce marketing.

Semantic Hub (Switzerland) uses AI leveraging multilingual Natural Language Understanding to help global biopharmaceutical companies understand the patient experience through first-hand testimonies on social media.

Vazy Data (France) allows anyone to analyze data without technical knowledge by using AI.

Visionary.AI (Israel) leverages cutting-edge AI to improve real-time video quality in challenging visual conditions like extreme low-light.

ZENPULSAR (UK) provides social media analytics from over 10 social media platforms to financial institutions and corporations to facilitate investment and business decisions.

Zaya AI (Romania) uses machine learning to better understand and diagnose diseases, assisting healthcare professionals to make timely and informed medical decisions.

Grid image of logos and executives of all startups listed in the inaugural Google for Startups Accelerator

To learn more about the AI-first program, and to signal your interest in nominating your startup for future cohorts, visit the program page here.

Source: Google for Developers Blog - News about Web, Mobile, AI and Cloud

Global Hispanic and Latino Developers Share How They Use Google Tools

Posted by Lyanne Alfaro, DevRel Program Manager, Google Developer Studio

In celebration of Hispanic and Latin Heritage, this month we spoke with developers from Mexico and Spain.

Estela Franco

Barcelona, Spain

Google Developer Expert, Web Technologies

Web Performance Specialist

Twitter

LinkedIn

Bluesky

What unique perspectives do you believe you bring to the tech industry as a Hispanic developer? How do your cultural experiences influence your approach to problem-solving and innovation?

We Spanish people love talking and interacting with other people. We tend to speak a lot, and we bring that to all areas of our lives, including development. I enjoy discussing projects, understanding user needs and use cases, challenging peers, and providing other ideas that weren't initially considered. Every developer has their own background and experiences, and that's something that any project can leverage, so having a space where the team can safely have this kind of discussion can be very beneficial.

What Google tools have you used to build?

As a Web Performance specialist, I use Chrome, PageSpeed Insights API, Big Query, CrUX API, and Looker Studio. With these tools, I create microsites and dashboards to monitor and analyze web performance.

Which tool has been your favorite to use? Why?

I love the CrUX API and all the information you can get from it. It's super helpful to understand how your users experience your website and how your competitors are performing. Providing a great user experience to your users is as important as understanding how your website is performing in the market versus competitors' websites.

The CrUX API documentation provides enough information and examples to create your request and get valuable data that you will convert into insights to identify issues/bottlenecks and improve your website.

Tell us about something you've built in the past using Google tools.

I created a basic and simple CrUX data explorer. It uses the CrUX API (for getting the data) and Firebase (for the authentication). This tool, which is still a work in progress, allows you to visually get the Core Web Vitals' values for any website or web page you want to check, based on CrUX data.

What will you create with Google Bard?

Google Bard is an excellent tool which you can use to create dev projects. It won't develop them for you, but you can save a lot of time thanks to it. Currently, I'm not planning to create any specific project using Google Bard, but any project I create will probably get some help from it.

What advice would you give someone starting in their developer journey?

Start from the beginning. You first need to understand the fundamentals before learning a framework or a specific technology. Being proficient on the fundamentals will make the rest easier.
Don't walk this journey alone. Get support from a community. Luckily, there are hundreds of tech communities you can get support from! You will probably find some difficulties during this journey and having this support will help you to go through them and solve them faster.
Don't be afraid to ask. You can ask your questions in a community or you can also ask them to Google (and Google Bard). Trust me, you're not the first person to have that question. Asking is the best way to get an answer.

What technological advancements or trends do you believe have the potential to positively impact Hispanic communities, both locally and globally?

Real-time translators using AI can be a game-changer. Although Spanish is one of the most frequently spoken languages in the world, English is needed in many fields and the tech industry is one of them.

Currently, it can be harder to have a successful developer journey if you don't speak English, and not all Hispanic/Latinx communities speak English. Having the tools to properly communicate with tech people even if you don't speak English could open new opportunities to these communities.

Alba Silvente Fuentes

Amsterdam, Netherlands by way of Alicante, Spain

Google Developer Expert, Web Technologies

Women Techmakers Ambassador

Developer Relations Engineer at Storyblok (a Headless CMS)

Twitter

LinkedIn

Instagram

What unique perspectives do you believe you bring to the tech industry as a Hispanic developer? How do your cultural experiences influence your approach to problem-solving and innovation?

When coding or solving problems, one quality that has always been present in my culture is passion. While passion is not exclusive to Latinx or Hispanic people, it is a part of our culture to approach tasks with dedication, effort, and care.

To prevent myself from giving in to a very difficult bug, I rely on my sense of humor and open communication. Whether at work or at home, I communicate openly about what is happening to me, seeking help or collaborating on a solution. I often use humor to diffuse tension and find the funny side of frustrating situations. This helps me to clear my mind of thoughts that block the search for a solution.

When it comes to innovation, I focus on small, everyday things that can improve my daily life. This is because I have been taught to value small details over bigger ones.

What Google tools have you used to build?

One of my first experiences with Google technologies was when I was studying at university and I decided to learn Android development in my free time, which was then using Java as its official language. However, after starting my career and discovering my passion for frontend development, my first full-time job as a frontend developer involved using Angular. Throughout my professional journey, I have relied heavily on Google's essential tools such as DevTools, Lighthouse, and Page speed. These tools have become an integral part of my daily routine. And over the past two years, I have actively participated in developing Chrome Extensions and conducting numerous Flutter workshops.

Which tool has been your favorite to use? Why?

In my opinion, the most helpful tools are DevTools and Web Vitals. However, if I had to choose a favorite, I would say it is the Chrome Extensions Manifest. I had a great time developing extensions and exploring all the different possibilities. Whether I was scraping websites for useful information or extending functionality, it was always a fun and rewarding experience.

Tell us about something you've built in the past using Google tools.

The question should be what have you developed without the use of Google tools, because I think there hasn't been a project where I haven't used DevTools or Web Vitals since I focus on the frontend. If you were to check my GitHub, nearly 90% of my projects have undergone testing with Lighthouse in order to ensure basic performance improvements.

Please share a memorable project where you incorporated elements of your heritage into the design or functionality? How did this enrich the user experience?

During my first job, I was a part of a campaign project for wines from the Alicante region called “#EnamórateDeUnAlicantino” (translating to “#FallInLoveWithAnAlcantino”). The campaign had a website featuring a love form to help people find the wine that best suited their taste. Each wine was associated with a person, and every question in the form had a local food item linked to it, such as Valencia oranges. I had a lot of fun working on it.

What will you create with Google Bard?

Up until now, I've utilized generative AI to assist me in refining my content. It's been especially helpful in synthesizing detailed information for my podcasts, articles, and talks. On one occasion, I even used it to create the basis of an extension, and while the outcome was decent, I had to make a few adjustments. Nevertheless, it was a valuable experiment. Moving forward, I plan to further explore the potential of AI and perhaps even use it to generate tests for my code or troubleshoot bugs out of pure curiosity.

What advice would you give someone starting in their developer journey?

My recommendation for beginners is to start by focusing on one thing that they enjoy, taking the time to understand the basics and explore their limits without rushing through the process. It is important to remain calm and enjoy the journey.

What technological advancements or trends do you believe have the potential to positively impact Hispanic communities, both locally and globally?

Considering our past limitations with languages other than Spanish due to our historical past, there are still many people who face a language barrier and cannot access all the information they need. However, thanks to advancements in AI, chatbots like Bard, and technologies like VR glasses, we can now overcome this hurdle. These tools allow us to translate in real-time as the speaker shares their story, or improve automatic subtitles, enabling us to reach a wider audience than ever before.

Juan Guillermo Gómez

Mexico City, Mexico

Google Developer Expert, Firebase, ML, Google Cloud Platform, Kotlin

Google Developer Groups Organizer

Tech Lead

Twitter

LinkedIn

GitHub

What unique perspectives do you believe you bring to the tech industry as a Latino developer? How do your cultural experiences influence your approach to problem-solving and innovation?

The developer community is strong and very united in Latin America. We also have relationships with other communities around the world, which allow growth in our professional career. In some cases, there is a shortage of resources, but this is not a barrier, but rather a motivation. We can learn a lot about technology by visiting places and networking.

What Google tools have you used to build?

I have used a lot of tools. I have used several tools for Android applications, and a lot of services via Google Cloud Platform, Firebase, Go, TensorFlow, and more.

Which tool has been your favorite to use? Why?

I love two tools: Firebase and GCP. These tools have a host of services that allow you to build apps, track their performance, user behavior, growth, and more. You can create applications with the support of Google.

Tell us about something you've built in the past using Google tools.

I have created mobile applications for health services and applications for a security services company. In the last four years, I have created an app called "Wordbox English" with a great team. Wordbox is an application that allows you to learn English via television series and movies in an entertaining way.

Please share a memorable project where you incorporated elements of your heritage into the design or functionality? How did this enrich the user experience?

Wordbox English is a great application which helps the user learn another language in an entertaining way. To create new features and modules, we often work with our users and yield great results. Because of this, our users love to learn.

What advice would you give someone starting in their developer journey?

Learn and practice every day. There are many tools, videos, and educational platforms where you can learn. Learn to love problems and challenges. You can belong to a community with other people with whom you can grow.

What technological advancements or trends do you believe have the potential to positively impact Latin communities, both locally and globally?

AI and machine learning. These accelerated advances allow you to build apps and learn faster. You can innovate and add more value to users.

Source: Google for Developers Blog - News about Web, Mobile, AI and Cloud

Supporting Black tech entrepreneurs through the fourth Google for Startups Accelerator: Black Founders program

Posted by Lauren O’Neil, Startup Developer Ecosystem Lead, and Matt Ridenour, Head of US Startup Ecosystem

We are thrilled to announce our latest cohort of the Google for Startups Accelerator: Black Founders program as it embarks on its fourth year serving Black founders in the U.S. and Canada.

The 12 companies selected for this year’s cohort reflect the trends of the broader application pool - startups focused on improving healthcare outcomes, protecting the environment, reducing consumer energy consumption, and removing barriers to financial resources and home ownership (just to name a few). Additionally, these companies are utilizing emerging AI technologies to streamline and simplify customer, consumer, and professional experiences at all levels.

"This year's cohort represents the massive opportunity that Google has to invest in the future of tech entrepreneurship, and how Google supports a broader ecosystem of driving innovation in key industries. It’s truly impressive to see how this cohort is tackling some of the world’s toughest problems, from energy to medicine to finance, and enabling the creator economy for games, music, and content."

– Jeanine Banks, VP & General Manager, Developer X and Head of Developer Relations.

Hear from a few founders who will participate in this 10-week program, commencing September 26th.

Tell us the story of your startup:

Seyi Adesola, Cofounder & CEO of AfroHealth: “Losing my mom to a preventable illness ignited my journey into healthcare, leading me to become a professional healthcare practitioner while providing individual health coaching to my church community, family and friends. AfroHealth was formed as an expansion of this vision, an online platform to provide Black individuals with culturally-sensitive online health coaching.”

Nana Wilberforce, Founder & CEO of Akeptus: “In the United States alone, one-third of households grapple with monthly energy bills, with 20% on the brink of losing access, and this hardship disproportionately affects minority groups. Akeptus was founded to empower households and enterprises to control their energy costs via AI solutions that simplify energy management.”

Nicole Clay, Cofounder & CMO of Hue: “My co-founders and I came together as three women across the skin tone spectrum who struggled with representation in beauty and finding products for our unique complexions. We are an e-commerce technology company that matches shoppers to real people who share the same skin tone, skin type, or preferences as you.”

What are the primary technical challenges you’re hoping to address during the program?

Seyi: “During the program, our first priority is perfecting the integration of Artificial Intelligence with our platform. We hope to utilize the full potential of Google's ML and TensorFlow frameworks to improve health outcomes in the Afro community.”

Nana: “We're most excited about the accelerator for the hands-on Cloud and AI expertise to refine our algorithms and infrastructure, allowing us to scale our impact on sustainability.”

Nicole: “During the program, we are looking to apply AI/ML to create and optimize video content, and leverage AI to ease the process for everyday end-users to create their own video reviews.”

Learn more about all 12 participating startups below:

AfroHealth (Dallas, TX) is a digital health & wellness platform utilizing AI to provide personalized healthcare coaching to Black and Brown communities.

Akeptus (Glenwood, MD) is an AI-powered energy management platform that provides real-time insights and control to optimize usage and energy costs, reduce waste, and strengthen grid resilience.

CareCopilot (New York, NY) is a curated marketplace of key services that families need when caring for elderly loved ones.

eBanqo (Alpharetta, GA) is a customer engagement AI platform that empowers businesses of all sizes to provide instant and seamless service to their customers across all channels, 24/7.

Expedier (Hamilton, ON) is the first Black-led, Black-Owned & BIPOC facing digital bank in Canada serving six million underserved BIPOC Canadians. (learn more about Expedier on our Google Canada blog!)

Hue (San Francisco, CA) is an AI-powered video platform that helps brands generate and display short-form video reviews on e-commerce.

IndyGeneUS (Washington, D.C.) is a precision medicine company using next-generation sequencing technologies to identify unique gene variants in diseases that affect underrepresented populations.

Kwema (St. Louis, MO) is a smart badge reel for healthcare professionals that empowers clinicians to unobtrusively call for help when facing patient violence.

My Home Pathway (New York, NY) is a technology platform that guides first-time home buyers to approval faster by analyzing data and providing individualized recommendations.

Pagedip (Boulder, CO) is a no-code content publishing app that allows users to create beautifully efficient, powerfully effective and demonstrably measurable documents that work better for teams and their customers.

Plannly Health (Scottsdale, AZ) is a patent-pending risk management software dedicated to mitigating the risk of human errors in hospitals, by offering a digital health solution that addresses provider stress, burnout, and critical life events or changes.

Rivet (Chicago, IL) is an AI-driven platform that helps creator teams use machine learning to find and understand their high-potential fans and provides actions and automations to unlock more revenue from them.

Find more information at g.co/blackfoundersaccelerator.

Source: Google for Developers Blog - News about Web, Mobile, AI and Cloud

How We Made SPACE INVADERS: World Defense, an AR game powered by ARCore

Posted by Dereck Bridie, Developer Relations Engineer, ARCore and Bradford Lee, Product Marketing Manager, Augmented Reality

To celebrate the 45th anniversary of “SPACE INVADERS,” we collaborated with TAITO, the Japanese developer of the original arcade game, and UNIT9 to launch “SPACE INVADERS: World Defense,” an immersive game that takes advantage of the most advanced location-based AR technology. Players around the world can go outside to explore their local neighborhoods, defend the Earth from virtual Space Invaders that spawn from nearby structures, and score points by taking them down – all with augmented reality.

The game is powered by our latest ARCore technology - Geospatial API, Streetscape Geometry API, and Geospatial Creator. We’re excited to show you behind the scenes of how the game was developed and how we used our newest features and tools to design the first of its kind procedural, global AR gameplay.

Geospatial API: Turn the world into a playground

Geospatial API enables you to attach content remotely to any area mapped by Google Street View and create richer and more robust immersive experiences linked to real-world locations on a global scale. SPACE INVADERS: World Defense is available in over 100 countries in areas with high Visual Positioning Service (VPS) coverage in Street View, adapting the gameplay to busy urban environments as well as smaller towns and villages.

For players who live in areas without VPS coverage, we have recently updated the game to include our new mode called Indoor Mode, which allows you to defend the Earth from Space Invaders in any setting or location - indoors or outdoors.

The new Indoor Mode in Space Invaders brings the immersive gameplay to any indoor building setting

Creating the initial user flow

ARCore Geospatial API uses camera images from the user’s device to scan for feature points and compares those to images from Google Street View in order to precisely position the device in real-world space.

Geospatial API is based on VPS with tens of billions of images in Street View to enable developers to build world-anchored experiences remotely in over 100 countries

This requires the user to hold up their phone and pan around the area such that enough data is collected to accurately position the user. To do this, we employed a clever technique to get users to scan the area, by requiring them to track the spaceship in the camera’s field of view.

To get started, follow the spaceship to scan your local surroundings

Using this user flow, we continually check whether the Geospatial API has gathered enough data for a high quality experience:

if (earthManager.EarthTrackingState == TrackingState.Tracking)
{
        var yawAcc = earthManager.CameraGeospatialPose.OrientationYawAccuracy;
        var horiAcc = earthManager.CameraGeospatialPose.HorizontalAccuracy;

        bool yawIsAccurate = yawAcc <= 5;
        bool horizontalIsAccurate = horiAcc <= 10;

	return yawIsAccurate && horizontalIsAccurate;
}

Transforming the environment into the playground

After scanning the nearby area, the game uses mesh data from the Streetscape Geometry API to algorithmically make playing the game in different locations a unique experience. Every real-world location has its own topography and city layout, affecting the gameplay in its own unique way.

Space Invaders played in diferent locations

Gameplay is varied depending on your location - from towns in Czech Republic (left) to cities in New York (right)

In the game, SPACE INVADERS can spawn from buildings, so we constructed test cases using building geometry obtained from different parts of the world. This ensures that the game would perform optimally in diverse environments from local villages to bustling cities.

A visualization of how the algorithm would place portals in the real-world

Entering the Invader’s dimension

From our research studies, we learned that it can be tiring for users to keep holding their hands up for a prolonged period of time for an augmented reality experience. This knowledge influenced our gameplay development - we created the Invader’s dimension to give players a chance to relax their phone arm and improve user comfort.

Our favorite ‘wow’ moment that really shows you the power of the Geospatial API is the transition between real-world AR and virtually generated, 3D dimensions.

Gameplay transition from real-world AR to 3D dimension

This effect is achieved by blending the camera feed with the virtual environment shader that renders the buildings and terrain in the distinct wireframe style.

The Invader’s dimension appears around the player in the Unity Editor, seamlessly transitioning between the two modes

After the player enters the Invader’s dimension, the player’s spaceship flies through an algorithmically generated path through their local neighborhood. This is done by creating a depth image of the user’s environment from an overhead camera. In this image, the red channel represents buildings and the blue channel represents space that could potentially be used for the flight path. This image is then used to generate a grid with points that the path should follow, and an A* search algorithm is used to solve for a path that follows all the points.

Finally, the generated A-Star path is post-processed to smooth out any potential jittering, sharp turns and collisions.

To smooth out the spaceship’s pathway, the jitter is removed by sampling the path over a set interval of nodes. Then, we determine if there are any sharp turns on a path by analyzing the angles along the path. If a sharp turn is present, we introduce two additional points to round it out. Lastly we see if this smoothed path would collide with any obstacles, and adjust it to fly over them if detected.

Depth Composite on the left and 3D Path on the right

A visualization of the depth map and a generated sample path in the Invader’s dimension

Creating a global gaming experience

A key takeaway from building the game was that the complexity of the contextual generation required worldwide testing. With Unity, we brought multiple environments into test cases, which allowed us to rapidly iterate and validate changes to these algorithms. This gave us confidence to deploy the game globally.

Visualizing SPACE INVADERS using Geospatial Creator

We used Geospatial Creator, powered by ARCore and Photorealistic 3D Tiles from Google Maps Platform, to validate how virtual content, such as Space Invaders, would appear next to specific landmarks within Tokyo in Unity.

With Photorealistic 3D Tiles, we were able to visualize Invaders in specific locations, including the Tokyo Tower in Japan

Future updates and releases

Since the game’s launch, we have heard our players’ feedback and have been actively updating and improving the gameplay experience.

We have added a new gameplay mode, Indoor Mode, which allows all players without VPS coverage or players who do not want to use AR mode to experience the game.

To encourage users to play the game in AR, scores have been rebalanced to reward players who play outside more than players who play indoors.

Download the game on Android or iOS today and join the ranks of an elite Earth defender force to compete in your neighborhood for the highest score. To hear the latest game updates, follow us on Twitter (@GoogleARVR) to hear how we are improving the game. Plus, visit our ARCore and Geospatial Creator websites to learn how to get started building with Google’s AR technology.

Source: Google for Developers Blog - News about Web, Mobile, AI and Cloud

#WeArePlay | Meet Ingrid from Sweden. More stories from around the world.

Posted by Leticia Lago, Developer Marketing

Another month, another reason to celebrate trailblazing creators behind some of the most innovative apps and games. From an equestrian training platform in Sweden to a chilled out fishing game in the Republic of Korea, let’s take a look at some of the exciting #WeArePlay stories of founders and their creations.

Ingrid is a big fan of horseback riding and has always loved the social aspect of the sport. But when she wanted to take her passion online, she was surprised to be unable to find sports platforms specifically tailored to equestrians. So, Ingrid and her co-founders, Totta and Erika, took matters into their own hands, pooling their collective experiences in marketing, programming and economics to create Ridely: a platform that aims to democratize the access to trainers and content about riding. Since then, they’ve partnered up with the US Equestrian Federation and are “constantly innovating and looking at ways to develop the app further and improve our members’ horse riding experience” – in fact, they’re currently working on creating expert programs, monthly riding challenges and adding a social feed to spark discussion and create community.

#WeArePlay Joahnes & Meiky Gaco Games Solo, Indonesia g.co/play/weareplay Google Play

Now to the other side of the world, Indonesia. Johanes always had a wild imagination and a head brimming with ideas, which is why he originally aspired to be an author. However, when he found himself captivated by role playing games, he decided to channel his storytelling into the gaming genre instead. Collaborating with graphic artist Meiky, the pair brainstormed their anime-inspired fantasy adventure RPG Epic Conquest. Even without conscious marketing efforts, the game proved to be a big hit, spawning the follow-up Epic Conquest 2 – with more sequels currently in the works.

#WeArePlay Young-Gon Nexelon Soengnam, Republic of Korea g.co/play/weareplay Google Play

Next up, Young-Gon from the Republic of Korea. An old hand in the industry, Young-Gon has been involved in gaming for over two decades. However, it was in 2017 that he decided to launch his own studio, Nexelon, with the goal of reaching audiences abroad. In his popular title, Fishing Life, he “wanted to create a fishing game that was soothing, uncomplicated to play and that really showcased the underwater world”, depicting the calming nature of angling as a hobby with gently whooshing waves and scenes of tranquil lakes and mountains. And he’s continuing this theme of serenity with his upcoming release – an eco-sci fi game where players explore other planets for resources to restore a polluted Earth.

#WeArePlay Sergej, Victoria & Michall Nordcurrent Vilnius, Lithuania g.co/play/weareplay Google Play

Last up, dream team Victoria, her husband Michail, and his brother Sergej from Lithuania. They had their sights set on making games since childhood. They were still at university when they released their very first title, swiftly using the revenue to form their own studio, Nordcurrent. In their popular game Cooking Fever, players are put to the test to rapidly prepare different dishes – inspired by cuisines from around the world. They recently added a pancake flipping restaurant option and also plan live culinary events around themed celebrations, such as Valentine’s Day.

Discover more of the amazing #WeArePlay stories around the world and share your favorites.

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Source: Android Developers Blog

#WeArePlay | Meet Ingrid from Sweden. More stories from around the world.

Posted by Leticia Lago, Developer Marketing

Discover more of the amazing #WeArePlay stories around the world and share your favorites.

How useful did you find this blog post?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Source: Google for Developers Blog - News about Web, Mobile, AI and Cloud

Meet the student leaders building apps using Google technology

Posted by Kübra Zengin, North America GDSC Regional Lead

Serving as a Google Developer Student Clubs (GDSC) Lead at the university level builds technical skills and leadership skills that serve alumni well in their post-graduate careers. Four GDSC Alumni Leads from universities in Canada and the U.S. have gone on to meaningful careers in the tech industry, and share their experiences.

Image of Daniel Shirvani (right) with Ayman Bolad (left)at a Google Developer Students event

Daniel Shirvani: The Next Frontier in Patient Data

Daniel Shirvani graduated from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, in 2023, with a Bachelor’s of Science in Pharmacology, and will soon return to UBC for medical school. He served as Google Developer Student Clubs (GDSC) Lead and founding team member. He also launched his own software company, Leftindust Systems, in 2019, to experiment with creating small-scale electronic medical record software (EMR) for the open source community. This project is now closed.

“I built a startup to rethink the use of medical software,” he says.

As a summer student volunteer at a Vancouver-area heart clinic, Shirvani was tasked with indexing hundreds of medical records, who had specific blood glucose HBA1C levels and factors related to kidney disease, to see who would be eligible for the new cardiac drug. However, the clinic’s medical records software didn’t have the capability to flag patients in the system, so the only way to register the hundreds of files on Shirvani’s final list would be to do so manually–and that was impossible, given the size of the list and the time remaining in his work term. He believed that the software should have been able to not only flag these patients, but also to automatically filter which patients met the criteria.

“Two to three hundred patients will not receive this life-saving drug because of this software,” Shirvani says. “My father is a patient who would have been eligible for this type of drug. His heart attack put things into perspective. There are families just like mine who will have the same experience that my father did, only because the software couldn’t keep up.”

Shirvani decided to combine his medical knowledge and programming skills to develop an electronic medical software, or EMR, that could store patient data numerically, instead of within paragraphs. This allows doctors to instantly analyze the data of patients, both at the individual and group-level. Doctors across North America took notice, including those from UBC, Stanford, UCLA, and elsewhere.

“During the North America Connect conference, a 2-day in-person event bringing together organizers and members across North America from the Google for Developers community programs including Google Developer Group, Women Techmakers, Google Developer Experts, and Google Developer Student Clubs, I met with many GDEs and Googlers, such as Kevin A. McGrail, who is now a personal mentor,” says Shirvani, who continues to look for other ways to make change in the healthcare community.

"When systems disappoint, we see not an end, but a new beginning. It’s in that space that we shape the future.

Image of Alexandra Cusell presenting at Carnegie Mellon University Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship

Alex Cussell: Becoming a tech entrepreneur

Alex Cussell graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2020, where she was a GDSC Lead her senior year. She says the experience inspired her to pursue her passion of becoming a tech entrepreneur.

“Leading a group of students with such differing backgrounds, addressing the world’s most pervasive problems, and loving every second of it taught me that I was meant to be a tech entrepreneur,” she says. “We were on a mission to save the lives of those involved in traffic accidents, when the world as we knew it came to a screeching halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After her virtual graduation, Cussell moved to Silicon Valley and earned a Master’s in Technology Ventures from Carnegie Mellon University. She studied product management, venture capital, and startup law, with a vision of building a meaningful company. After getting engaged and receiving multiple gift cards as bridal shower gifts, Cussell found herself confused about each card’s amount and challenged trying to keep them organized.

She created the Jisell app, which features a universal gift card e-wallet, allowing users to digitize their gift cards. The app has had over five thousand dollars in gift cards uploaded to date and a partnership with the largest gift card distributor in the U.S. Jisell product manager Emily Robertson was Cussell’s roommate at the GDSC summit.

“Without Google Developer Student Clubs, I might never have realized how much I love problem-solving or technical leadership or known so much about the great tools offered by Google,” Cussell says. "Thank you to everyone who contributes to the GDSC experience; you have truly changed the lives of so many.”

Angela Busheska: Founding a nonprofit to fight climate change

Angela Busheska is double majoring in electrical engineering and computer science, with a minor in mathematics, at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, and anticipates graduating in 2025. A Google intern this summer and last summer, Busheska participated in Google’s Computer Science Research Mentorship Program from September 2021-January 2022, which supports the pursuit of computing research for students from historically marginalized groups through career mentorship, peer-to-peer networking, and building awareness about pathways within the field. Busheska investigated the computing processes across four different projects in the field of AI for Social Good.

During the pandemic, in 2020, Busheska founded EnRoute, a nonprofit to harness the power of everyday actions to fight climate change and break down the stigma that living sustainably is an expensive and challenging commitment. She also built a mobile app using Android and Flutter that helps users make simple daily transportation and shopping choices to reduce their carbon footprints. Since 2020, the app has guided thousands of users to reduce more than 100,000kg of CO2 emissions.

EnRoute honors Busheska’s aunt, who passed away when Busheska was 17. Busheska grew up in Skopje, in North Macedonia, one of the world’s most polluted cities.

“When I was 17 years old, Skopje’s dense air pollution led my aunt, who suffered from cardiovascular difficulties, to complete blood vessel damage, resulting in her swift passing,” says Busheska. “Inspired by my personal loss, I started researching the causes of the pollution.”

EnRoute has been featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Impact List and has been publicly recognized by Shawn Mendes, Prince William, One Young World, and the United Nations.

Sapphira Ching: Advancing Environmental, Social, and Government standards (ESG)

Sapphira Ching, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, spent her junior year as UPenn’s GDSC Lead, after joining GDSC her first year, leading social media for the club that spring and heading marketing and strategy her sophomore year. As a GDSC Lead, Sapphira expanded GDSC's campus membership and partnerships to reach an audience of over 2,000 students. In line with her passion for Environmental, Social, and Government standards (ESG) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Sapphira built a leadership team from different areas of study, including engineering, business, law, medicine, and music.

Ching’s passions for ESG, technology, and business drive her choices, and she says, “I am eager to incorporate ESG into tech to bring people together using business acumen.”

The Wharton School appointed her as an inaugural undergraduate fellow at the Turner ESG Initiative, and she founded the Penn Innovation Network, an ESG innovation club. Her summer internships have focused on ESG; her 2021 summer internship at MSCI (formerly known as Morgan Stanley Capital International) centered on on ESG, and her 2022 summer internship was at Soros Fund Management, an ESG juggernaut in finance. She is also a NCAA Division I student-athlete and Olympic hopeful in sabre fencing.

“I attribute my growth in ESG, tech, and business to how GDSC has helped me since my first year of college,” Ching says.

Are you an Alumni or current GDSC Lead? You can join the Google Developer Student Clubs (GDSC) LinkedIn Group here. The group is a great place to share ideas and connect with current and former GDSC Leads.

Interested in joining a GDSC near you? Google Developer Student Clubs (GDSC) are university based community groups for students interested in Google developer technologies. Students from all undergraduate or graduate programs with an interest in growing as a developer are welcome. Learn more here.

Interested in becoming a GDSC Lead? GDSC Leads are responsible for starting and growing a Google Developer Student Club (GDSC) chapter at their university. GDSC Leads work with students to organize events, workshops, and projects. Learn more here.