BraveBuddy

Repository for Rutgers Health Hackathon 2024

Overview

BraveBuddy is a compassionate companion designed for pediatric cancer patients aged 2-10. Understanding the unique challenges these children face, BraveBuddy aims to provide comfort, support, and a sense of normalcy during their treatment journey. Many children feel isolated, especially when their siblings lead a more typical life. BraveBuddy serves as a companion that not only normalizes their experience but also encourages them through tough moments.

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Features

• Companion Toy: BraveBuddy is a physical teddy bear/toy that stays with the child throughout their day, offering companionship during both hospital visits and at home.
• Interactive Conversations: BraveBuddy is equipped to engage in simple, comforting conversations. Children can ask questions and receive age-appropriate, reassuring responses.
• Emotional Support: The buddy is designed to comfort children in difficult moments. For instance, if a child expresses fear about a shot, BraveBuddy responds with encouragement like, “It’s okay, we’ll take it together. You’ve got this!”
• Educational Guidance: BraveBuddy helps explain medical processes and terms in a child-friendly way. For example, when asked about chemotherapy, it might say, “Chemotherapy is a special kind of medicine that helps fight the yucky sick cells in our body. It’s like a superhero helping our bodies get better. Do you want to know more? Or talk about something fun while we wait?”
• Normalization of Experience: By fostering a sense of companionship and understanding, BraveBuddy helps children feel less alone in their journey, normalizing their experiences and emotions.

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Purpose

BraveBuddy aims to:

• Alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation in pediatric cancer patients.
• Provide emotional support and encouragement during challenging moments.
• Educate children about their treatment in a comforting way.
• Create a positive and comforting presence throughout their treatment journey.

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Tech Stack Used

• Programming Language:
  • Pyton
• VA
  • Openai API: Whisper.ai, GPT 4o mini
• Database
  • mongoDB Atlas -> for database (which helped in eliminating on-premise scaling bcz it is automatically scaled on the cloud)
• Front end
  • Streamlit -> You can fire up the front end using the command streamlit run app.py (for future releases)

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LLM (Large Language Model)

LLM setup:

1. Install FFmpeg (required for audio processing)

• On Windows: choco install ffmpeg (requires Chocolatey)
• On macOS: brew install ffmpeg (requires Homebrew)

2. Install Dependencies

• Navigate to the project directory in your shell/terminal.
• Run: pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Set Up Environment Variables To enable BraveBuddy’s AI functionality, you’ll need to add an .env file in the project’s root directory with the OpenAI API key for GPT-4 mini.

• Create a .env file in the root directory.
• Add the following line, replacing YOUR_OPENAI_API_KEY with your actual OpenAI API key: OPENAI_API_KEY=YOUR_OPENAI_API_KEY

4. Run the Application

• Execute the main script: python main.py
• For the frontend, run: streamlit run app.py

LLM Functionalities:

• Speech-to-Text (STT): The VA can understand and process user voice commands.
• Text-to-Speech (TTS): Reads out health-related information back to the user in a clear, natural tone.
• Short, Concise Responses: Provides brief, accurate responses to user queries.
• Clarification Handling: Requests clarification when user input is complex or unclear.
• Voice Interaction Deletion: Allows users to delete saved voice interactions to ensure privacy.
• LLM Integration Testing: Conducted integration tests for the large language model to ensure accurate conversation flow.
• User Interaction Logs: Captures logs of individual user interactions for review and improvement.
• End-of-Conversation Detection: Detects when a conversation has naturally ended and disengages to ensure a smooth user experience.
• Reminders: reminders for medications, their time and frequency of repetition.

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GitHub Setup for New Users

If you’re new to GitHub, follow these steps to set up the repository locally:

1. Create a GitHub Account: Go to GitHub and sign up if you don’t already have an account.

2. Install Git:

   • On Windows, download and install Git from here.
   • On macOS, use Homebrew by running brew install git.
   • On Linux, use your package manager, e.g., sudo apt install git for Ubuntu.

3. Clone the Repository:

   • Open your terminal or command prompt.
   • Run the following command to clone the repository:

     git clone https://github.com/YourUsername/BraveBuddy.git

   • Replace YourUsername with the GitHub username associated with the repository if it’s hosted on your account.

4. Navigate to the Project Directory:

   • Go to the directory where you cloned the repo:

     cd BraveBuddy

5. Setting Up Git Remotes:

   • If you plan to make changes and push them, add a remote origin:

     git remote add origin https://github.com/YourUsername/BraveBuddy.git

6. Sync Changes:

   • To pull any new changes from the repository, run:

     git pull origin main

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This README provides a complete setup guide for users, including instructions on GitHub setup for beginners.