Building a Smart Cleaning App with Computer Vision and AI
Published: 2024-03-28 07:27:19

Here is a draft tech article related to home cleaning that could be posted on dev.to:

Title: Building a Smart Cleaning App with Computer Vision and AI

If you've ever wished for a housecleaning assistant to prioritize messes and dirty areas around your home, you're not alone. As an app developer, you can create that solution by leveraging cutting-edge computer vision and AI technology.

Today, I'll walk through how you could build a "smart cleaning" app that uses a smartphone's camera to analyze rooms and surfaces, identify areas that need cleaning most, and provide personalized cleaning plans and reminders based on its analysis.

At a high level, here's how such an app could work:

User takes a video or uploads images of each room in their home
Computer vision models detect dirt, dust, clutter, stains, etc. and generate a "cleanliness score" for each room and surface
AI planning algorithms analyze the scores and home layout to create an efficient cleaning routine, prioritizing problem areas
The app schedules reminders for when and what to clean, adjusting as needed over time based on new visual data
Now let's dive into some of the key technologies and approaches for making this smart cleaning assistant a reality.

Computer Vision for Dirt and Mess Detection
The core utility comes from integrating highly accurate computer vision models capable of detecting various "uncleanliness" signals like:

Dust accumulation on surfaces, floors, furniture
Stains, smears, and spills
Surface scratches and worn areas
Clutter, disorganization, objects out of place
Mold, grime build-up in corners, crevices
You could start by using pre-trained models and techniques for detecting these individual signals, like stain detectors, people and clutter detection, surface defect inspection, etc. Then, ensemble these into a larger real-time model to comprehensively analyze each room.

AI Planning for Cleaning Routines
With a "cleanliness map" of the home, the next step is determining the optimal routine for addressing all areas needing attention. You could frame this as an AI planning problem, with models considering:

- Room priorities based on dirtiness scores
- Room sequences that minimize travel time
- Grouping tasks by room, surface types, or cleaning tools required
- User preferences for timing, thoroughness, etc.

Reinforcement learning is one approach that could improve routine planning over time as the app gathers more data about which plans worked well for which situations.

User Experience Design
The UX should visualize the cleaning plan simply, so users know exactly what to clean, with what tools, and in which order each week or month. Gamification elements could motivate sticking to the plan, such as scoring systems and streaks.

The app could pull in outside data sources too, such as pollen counts to recommend more frequent cleaning during high allergen periods. Smart home integrations could automatically trigger cleanings when motion sensors detect high activity areas.

Of course, this is just one potential approach for a smart cleaning app using bleeding-edge technologies. There are endless possibilities for making our homes cleaner and less work through intelligent software solutions.

What ideas do you have for applying computer vision, AI planning, or other technologies to household cleaning and chores? I'd love to discuss in the comments!