Last year, Google invited developers to submit their ideas for the Android Developer Challenge, focused on “Helpful Innovation, powered by on-device machine learning.” They picked 10 winners, and have been working with them since then to help bring their apps to life. #AndroidDevChallenge
This month (June 2020), the winners were announced. 🎉🎈🙌
🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
We challenged you to build helpful on-device machine learning apps and the results are in!
The 10 winners for the #AndroidDevChallenge are …
Read more → https://t.co/iEsWuxOxNd
Download the apps → https://t.co/ZQgHFUdZE2#11WeeksOfAndroid pic.twitter.com/3lBm6CquxX— Android Developers (@AndroidDev) June 22, 2020
I was happy to receive a special box, from Google, packed with goodies designed to help me try out the winners’ apps as well as Android gear and a limited edition magazine on the challenge.
AgriFarm
What it does
AgriFarm helps farmers to detect plant diseases preventing major damage. [Balochisan, Pakistan]
Features
- Crop Doctor – use camera to identify common plant diseases before harvest
- Recommended videos that help the user to learn from experts
- Market prices tool to make sure the prices are fair
- Personalized news to help you stay up to date
AgroDoc
What it does
AgroDoc helps farmers diagnose plant disease and make treatment plans. [Navneet Krishna; Kochi, India]
Features
- Add plant issue details
- Scan a sample of the plant by using the device camera
- AI diagnoses the problem and provides simple steps to improve plant health
Eskke
What it does
Eskke simplifies mobile money management for people in the Congo [David Mumbere Kathoh; Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo]
Features
- Instant transaction: Eskke simplifies the process of buying airtime, data bundle, withdrawing and sending money
- Quick withdraw: Eskke helps you to take the agent’s number by scanning the QR code or their number from the display.
- History of transactions: you get a list with a detailed history of all your transactions
- Stats: get info about how much airtime you spend daily, how much money you transfer or receive during a period of time
- Offline support: you are able to access the info even when you are offline
Leepi
What it does
Leepi helps students learn hand gestures and symbols for American Sign Language. [Prince Patel; Bengaluru, India]
Features
- Interactive learning structure
- Pocket size lessons for a fun experience
- Gamification for motivation: badges and stars
- Processing happens all in mobile, no data usage required
- Protects your privacy as the data never leaves the device
MixPose
What it does
MixPos is a live streaming app that gives yoga teachers and fitness professionals the opportunity to teach, track alignment, make sure you’re in the correct pose, and give real-time feedback. [Peter Ma; San Francisco, California, USA]
Features
- Schedule your free classes
- Interactive live streaming platform suitable for yoga teachers, dance instructors, and fitness professionals
- Get real-time feedback from professional yoga teachers
- Accurate AI pose detection to track movements
- Do yoga with friends in private live classes
- Attend yoga classes for beginners, intermediates, and advanced
Path Finder
What it does
Path Finder could help people with visual impairments navigate complex situations by identifying and calculating the trajectories of objects moving in their path. [Colin Shelton; Addison, Texas, USA]
Features
- Detect moving objects and people
- AI predicts if a person or an object is likely to block your path and delivers a customized alert
- Both audible and haptic feedback are part of the obstacle alert system
- Augment the user’s experience, share information, and give support, not overwhelm them in difficult situations.
Snore & Cough
What it does
Snore & Cough helps you identify and analyze snoring and coughing, so you can listen to and send recordings from a night’s sleep. [Ethan Fan; Mountain View, California, USA]
Features
- Records your snoring and coughing sound made during your sleep
- Helps to discover when and how loudly you snored and coughed
- Keep track and spot patterns of problem snoring
- Email and share sound files
Stila
What it does
Stila pairs with a wearable device, like the Fitbit wristband or a device running on Wear OS by Google, to monitor, track and help manage the body’s stress levels. [Yingdin Wing; Munich, Germany]
Features
- Analyses the heart rate patterns measured by smartwatches and determines your Computed Stress
- Track your own stress development in real life
- Get an insight of how your body reacts on stimuli from the changing environments
- Stila helps you manage your stress and live a more healthier life
Trashly
What it does
Trashly makes recycling easier. Just point the on-device camera at an item, and through object detection, the app identifies and classifies plastic and paper cups, bags, bottles, etc. [Elvin Rakhmankulov; Chicago, Illinois, USA]
Features
- Search for any item, from food to furniture, to understand if it can be recycled and what the top recommendations are
- Upload pictures of your own items and let the app quickly identify your object and provide fast recommendations
- Explore where your items can be recycled based on your location
- Learn through “how to guides” how to build your own sustainable recycling methods
- Track your recycling efforts and uncover more fascinating facts about the environment and the latest recycling innovations
UnoDogs
What it does
UnoDogs helps owners better support their pet’s wellness, providing customized information and fitness programs. [Chinmany Mishra; New Delhi, India]
Features
- Calorie, exercise and health tracking
- Extensive database of dog foods and treats
- Set weight and exercise targets
- Track the progress in different fronts
These were the winning apps. If you want to read more about the competition check the next resources:
- Google’s Keyword blog post
- Android Developer blog post
- #AndroidDevChallenge landing page, a digital version of the magazine
Enjoy and feel free to leave a comment if something is not clear or if you have questions. And if you like it please share!
Thank you for reading! 
Magda Miu 