ScribeAI - Intelligent Multimodal Note-Taking Application

ScribeAI bridges the gap between analog and digital productivity by combining traditional note-taking with AI-powered features. Built for Android with an offline-first approach, it enables users to capture information through multiple input methods while maintaining privacy with on-device processing.

Overview

• Platform: Android (Minimum SDK 24)
• Core Value: Seamless hybrid workspace combining handwritten, typed, and photo-captured notes
• Target Users: Students, professionals, and creatives
• Privacy Focus: Offline-first with optional cloud enhancements

Tech Stack

Core Technologies

• Language: Kotlin
• Minimum SDK: 24
• Target SDK: 35
• Build System: Gradle (Kotlin DSL)

Architecture & Design Patterns

• Architecture Pattern: MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel)
• Database: Room Persistence Library
• Repository Pattern for data operations
• ViewBinding for UI binding
• Coroutines & Flow for asynchronous operations
• LifecycleScope for structured concurrency

AI & Machine Learning

• Google Gemini AI (v2.0-flash model)
  • Text processing and analysis
  • OCR capabilities with structured Markdown output
  • Content safety filtering
• ML Kit for text recognition

Image Processing & Drawing

• CameraX for modern camera integration
• Custom DrawingView implementation
• Bitmap processing with compatibility for Android P and above
• FileProvider for secure file sharing

UI Components

• Material Design 3 components and themes
• RecyclerView with swipe actions
• Custom dialogs for user interactions
• ConstraintLayout for responsive layouts
• ViewBinding for safe view access
• Chip groups for tag management

Data Management

• Room Database with Type Converters
• Kotlin Serialization for JSON processing
• Markdown support via Markwon library
• URI-based file management for images and drawings

Features

Smart Note Management

• Organization
  • AI-powered automatic tagging system
  • Rich text formatting with Markdown support
  • Advanced filtering and search capabilities
  • Real-time content filtering
  • Swipe actions for quick note management

Intelligent Search

• Full-text search across all note types
• Filter by date, tags, and note type
• Semantic search capabilities
• Fast response (<1s for 100 notes)

Input Methods

• Rich text editor for typed notes
• Camera integration for photo-to-text conversion
• Drawing interface for digital handwriting
• Support for image annotations

Design Philosophy

• Color System: Based on Zinc tones for accessibility
• Typography: Funnel Display font for modern, clean aesthetic
• UI Elements:
  • Subtle rounded corners (8dp)
  • Clean lines with defined borders
  • Clear visual hierarchy

AI-Powered Features

• OCR processing using Gemini AI
• Intelligent text extraction from images
• Automatic Markdown formatting of extracted text
• Content safety filtering for AI responses

Image & Drawing

• Integrated camera support
• Custom drawing interface with bitmap handling
• Image annotation capabilities
• Multiple input modes (text, camera, drawing)

UI/UX

• Material Design theming
• Dark mode support
• Custom formatting toolbar
• Tag filtering system
• Responsive layout design
• Preview mode for notes

Development Tools

IDE & Development

• Android Studio
• Gradle build system with Kotlin DSL
• ViewBinding for compile-time safe view access

Testing & Quality

• JUnit for unit testing
• Instrumentation tests support
• ProGuard rules for release optimization

Version Control

• Git for version control
• .gitignore configured for Android development

Performance Targets

Response Times

• App launch time: <500ms
• Note list loading: <1s for 100 notes
• OCR processing: <3s for high-res images

Quality Metrics

• OCR accuracy: >95% for printed text
• UI rendering: Smooth 60fps
• Test coverage: Minimum 80% unit tests

Development Timeline

Current Progress (April 2024)

• ✅ Database Setup
• 🟡 Note Creation UI
• 📅 OCR Integration
• 📅 Search Functionality
• 📅 Theming
• 📅 Performance Tuning

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Android Studio Electric Eel or newer
• JDK 11 or higher
• Android SDK with minimum API level 24
• Google Play Services (for ML Kit)

Setup Instructions

1. Clone the Repository

   git clone [repository-url]
   cd scribe-ai

2. Configure API Keys

   • Create a local.properties file in the project root
   • Add your Gemini API key:

     GEMINI_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

3. Open in Android Studio

   • Launch Android Studio
   • Select "Open an existing project"
   • Navigate to and select the cloned directory

4. Build the Project

   • Wait for Gradle sync to complete
   • Resolve any dependency issues if prompted
   • Build the project: Build > Make Project

5. Run the Application

   • Connect an Android device (or create an emulator)
   • Select your device in the toolbar
   • Click the "Run" button (green play icon)
   • The app will be installed and launched on your device

Troubleshooting

• Ensure USB debugging is enabled on your device
• Check Android Studio's Event Log for detailed error messages
• Verify Gradle sync completed successfully
• Confirm all SDK components are installed via SDK Manager

Project Structure

app/src/main/
├── java/com/example/scribeai/
│   ├── core/
│   │   ├── data/          # Database, Repository, DAOs
│   │   └── ui/views/      # Custom View implementations
│   └── features/
│       ├── drawing/       # Drawing functionality
│       ├── noteedit/      # Note editing & AI processing
│       ├── notelist/      # Note listing & filtering
│       └── notepreview/   # Note preview functionality
└── res/
    ├── layout/           # XML layouts
    ├── drawable/         # Icons and graphics
    ├── values/           # Strings, colors, and themes
    └── xml/             # Configuration files