CROCODILEC

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  chat with crocodilec

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  Crocodilec page

Inspiration

The inspiration for Crocodilec arose from the unique challenges that Timor-Leste citizens face in accessing and understanding their Constitution. With a population of approximately 1.341 million people in 2022, Timor-Leste's Constitution is written mostly in Portuguese, with translations available in Tetum and English. However, many citizens have difficulty accessing or understanding these documents due to language barriers and the complexity of the manual text search process. Given these difficulties, I aimed to create a more accessible and easy-to-use tool to help citizens understand their rights and responsibilities.

What It Does

Crocodilec is an intelligent chatbot designed to provide fast and accurate information about the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. Using pdf data from timor-leste.gov.tl, Crocodilec allows users to ask specific questions about constitutional articles and receive clear and concise answers. The chatbot currently supports Portuguese, English, and Indonesian, with plans to add Tetum and other languages in the future. Crocodilec aims to make the Constitution more accessible to everyone, eliminating the need to manually download or search for documents.

How I Built It

I built Crocodilec using Vertex AI, a powerful platform that allowed me to develop intelligent chatbots capable of understanding and responding to user questions about the Constitution. The development process involved collecting pdfs of accurate and up-to-date data from timor-leste.gov.tl to ensure its reliability. I focused on creating a multilingual tool, initially supporting Portuguese, English, and Indonesian, and designing a user-friendly interface to make interactions smooth. Future integration with Facebook Messenger is planned to further improve accessibility, given its popularity among Timor-Leste citizens.

Challenges I Ran Into

Building the Crocodile had some challenges. Ensuring the accuracy and reliability of chatbot responses is critical. Serving a multilingual audience requires careful translation and adaptation of content to maintain clarity and correctness in multiple languages. Additionally, designing an intuitive user interface that facilitates easy navigation and quick access to information is critical to project success.

Accomplishments That I am Proud Of

I am proud to have created a tool that significantly increases accessibility to the Timor-Leste Constitution. Crocodilec's ability to provide clear and accurate information in multiple languages is a remarkable achievement. Additionally, the positive feedback from my friends from early adopters was also very encouraging, and confirmed that my solution addresses a real need and has the potential to empower people more easily.

What I Learned

Throughout the development of Crocodilec, I gained valuable insight into the complexities of creating legal documents that are accessible to diverse populations. We learned about the importance of accurate translation and the need for clear and concise communication. Additionally, I discovered the potential of AI and chatbots in simplifying the process of accessing and understanding complex information. This project also highlights the importance of user-centered design in creating effective digital tools.

What's Next for Crocodilec

Going forward, I plan to expand Crocodilec's language support to include the Tetum language. This will make the chatbot more accessible and useful to a wider audience. I also aim to integrate the chatbot with Facebook Messenger, to increase its reach and accessibility.

Another key focus is to continuously improve the accuracy and functionality of the chatbot based on feedback from users. In doing so, I hope to make Crocodilec an indispensable tool for Timorese citizens, empowering them with knowledge of their rights and responsibilities as outlined in the Constitution.

In the long term, I aspire to collaborate with relevant departments to develop a comprehensive system using Vertex AI, and make this system look like Gemini. This system will allow all citizens to submit questions to this system with text, pdf files, or images about the RDTL Constitution, including the Codigo do Processo Penal, Codigo de Processo Civil, Codigo Civil, and others, with the default language being Tetum. As the majority of Timor-Leste's population speaks Tetum, this initiative will ensure that every citizen can easily access and understand the laws of Timor-Leste.

Built With

• bolgger
• cloud.google
• vertex-ai
• vertex-ai-agent