Inside the Minds of: Brandon and Shelby
Our “Inside the Mind of ” series features interviews from the top winners at our 2017 Fellows Hackathon and their ideas for the future of technology.
1. Tell me about your idea for our Fellows Hackathon?
Brandon: OurCache was created to fight gentrification by contextualizing your experiences within a locale. A user of this application looks through their camera in the app and finds user-provided memories, facts and historical data projected into Augmented Reality. A user could experience personal memories and historical facts about an area that would deepen understanding and add intrinsic value to any community they step into.
2. Why were you drawn to that?
Shelby: For me, the idea was inspired by a mentor who expressed concerns about gentrification and how community and cultures get erased. This app is my way of creating a technical solution that helps to combat this issue.
Brandon: I have a great passion for both Augmented/Virtual reality and cultural awareness. I wanted to push the boundaries of Augmented & Virtual Reality by applying it to a real world issue and display the potential of these technologies.
3. What problems would you like to solve with your technical skill set?
Shelby: I’m interested in solving problems at the heart of math and computer science, such as problems that can be solved using data science and machine learning. I’m interested in using data science and machine learning in uncharted territory, in new ways that haven’t yet been conceived. I’m also interested in using my technical skills to inspire other women of color to pursue careers in tech.
Brandon: I would like to create environments where users from different backgrounds can feel equally represented in the technology they use. Right now I’m feeling really inspired by “Neurospeculative AfroFeminism”, a virtual reality trans media project that focuses on celebrating Black women in the VR space. This project increases awareness and the presence of a community that needs representation in this space.
Augmented reality glasses becoming more ergonomic and practical to use is really exciting to me. I can’t wait until they are introduced into mainstream markets where consumers can use these devices for their everyday tasks. The idea and possibility of expanding our current world with the use of augmented and virtual reality is very appealing to me. I believe these technologies have the potential to reach far beyond entertainment mediums. They could have the capability to solve societal challenges and they can become an alternative view of life.
