TREADMAPS

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Inspiration

Walking across the WSU campus in Pullman during winter is no joke. Icy stairs, freezing rain, and wind tunnels between buildings make what should be a simple 10 minute walk genuinely dangerous. Existing navigation tools like Google Maps only optimize for speed and distance, they have no idea that the Veterans Mall staircase turns into a skating rink at 30°F. We wanted to build something that actually understands the conditions a pedestrian faces in real time.

What it does

TREADMAPS is an AI-powered navigation tool that recommends the safest walking route based on real-time weather, terrain, and personal conditions. Instead of defaulting to the fastest path, it analyzes hazards like icy stairs, wind exposure, and elevation — then explains exactly why it chose the route it did. Users can input natural language like "I'm tired, avoid stairs" and the AI adapts the route accordingly.

How we built it

We built TREADMAPS using a Python backend (with FastAPI or Flask) for routing, AI, and data services, and a Next.js frontend for a modern, responsive user interface. The backend handles route optimization, weather integration, and database management, while the frontend provides interactive map features and user input components. We used Tailwind CSS for styling and TypeScript for type safety.

Challenges we ran into

Integrating real-time weather data and optimizing route calculations were technically challenging. Ensuring smooth communication between the backend API and the frontend, as well as managing state and asynchronous data fetching in Next.js, required careful design. We also faced challenges in database schema design and handling edge cases in route scoring.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We successfully created a seamless user experience that combines live data, AI-driven route suggestions, and a visually appealing interface. Our modular backend structure and reusable frontend components make the app scalable and maintainable. We’re proud of the robust route optimization and the integration of multiple data sources.

What we learned

We deepened our understanding of full-stack development, especially in coordinating backend and frontend workflows. We learned best practices for API design, state management in React/Next.js, and integrating third-party services. We also improved our skills in collaborative development and code organization.