Sketcha

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  example design

Inspiration

Electrical and architectural diagrams are painful to create. Existing tools are powerful but slow, complex, and require memorizing symbols and workflows. We were inspired by the idea that if people can describe what they want to build, the software should handle the drawing.

What it does

Sketcha lets users describe a space or circuit in plain language and instantly generates a clean architectural and electrical diagram. Users can create room layouts, place switches, lights, outlets, and wiring, and work on top of professional sheet templates—without using traditional CAD tools.

How we built it

Frontend: Next.js + React Flow for the interactive canvas

Sheet system: Industry-style sheet templates rendered as locked SVG layers

Diagram engine: Nodes and connections mapped to a structured internal model

AI layer: Natural‑language instructions translated into layout actions

Export path: Backend designed to convert diagrams into real KiCad schematics

Challenges we ran into

Mapping human spatial language (“left wall”, “near the door”) to precise diagram placement

Layering professional sheet templates without interfering with interaction

Designing a data model that works both for AI generation and real schematic export

Keeping the system flexible while enforcing electrical correctness

Accomplishments that we’re proud of

Turning plain English descriptions into structured electrical layouts

Building a sheet‑based, CAD‑like experience directly in the browser

Creating a foundation that can export to real engineering tools like KiCad

Making complex diagramming feel approachable and fast

What we learned

Most users understand intent, not symbols

Good abstractions matter more than feature count

SVG + structured data is a powerful combination for engineering tools

AI works best when constrained by real domain rules

What’s next for Sketcha

Deeper support for hierarchical schematics

More industry templates (residential, commercial, industrial)

Real‑time collaboration

Simulation and validation

One‑click export to professional CAD and EDA tools

Built With

• livekit
• nextjs
• openai
• python