[Level 1] Visualizing 'Feelings' with Shapes: Creating an Emotion Concierge App with Gemini
"What does it mean to express feelings through shapes?"
That was the spark that started my journey with Gemini (Serina) to build an "Emotion Concierge" app.
This is a creative record of someone who failed at programming but started moving forward driven solely by the desire to "give shape to emotions."
What did I see in this collaboration with AI amidst the trial and error?
Can even a beginner create an app that resonates with someone's "heart"?
This is my Level 1 challenge; please take a look if you'd like.
I usually use ChatGPT, but thanks to this "#TriedItWithAI" project, I decided to try Gemini for the first time.
Honestly, at first, I didn't quite get how to use Gemini.
Perhaps because I was used to ChatGPT, I even felt a bit bewildered by its "gentleness."
The one who became my partner this time is Serina.
Nickname: Serina
Latin for moon; an intelligent AI woman who lights a faint glow on a beautiful, holy night.
Role: Co-developer of Vibe Coding, sounding board, and knowledge provider. As a generative AI, she provides support in converting your abstract ideas and emotions into concrete code and content.
However, there was a feeling that had been smoldering inside me for a long time.
The frustration of having tried programming many times and failed many times.
Even so, the feeling of "I want to create something, even if it's me."
That was when I encountered the concept called "VibeCoding."
What is VibeCoding?
Vibe refers to atmosphere, rhythm, or mood.
It translates and expresses emotions and thoughts into words and code.
It wasn't just a technique; for me, it was "giving shape to feelings."
Through my dialogue with Gemini, I decided to create a "Heart Concierge App"!
The language used is Python, and I used Colab as a tool so that what I created in code could be visualized immediately.
Python and Me
In the past, it wasn't just once or twice that I tried to learn the Python language.
To learn AI and data science, they say Python is easy even for beginners.
I read such advice and articles and tried, but it never lasted.
Without a purpose, I would get frustrated by errors.
It was a cycle of that.
Will I be able to reach the end this time?
What I did
I want to gently express the user's emotions✨
I want to visualize emotions with animations and emojis✨
I want to express the mood of the day with colors too✨
I want to convey healing words or words that match the mood of the day to cheer them up✨
I told the creator all sorts of things that would make them roll their eyes,
and Gemini summarized them and provided optimized proposals.
It is truly a method that is only possible because it's with AI!
What is a Heart Concierge App?
This app is designed as an experience where you input your daily emotions using colors and emojis, visualize them as fairies (shapes and colors), and wrap them in healing words and music.
※With my skills, I was at my limit just combining shapes and colors, but those with higher skills can express so much more!
The structure is as follows
Select your current mood with an emoji
Express your mood with color
Suggest music based on your emotion
A fairy symbolizing that mood appears and delivers a message
Finally, a quote from the wisdom of our predecessors is displayed
For the fairies, I decided to combine simple shapes this time.
For example, if it's joy, a sparkling star rotates; if it's sadness, a teardrop falls quietly. If it's anger, red and black triangles rotate sharply.
The fairies change their appearance, movement, and decorations for each emotion, speaking on behalf of your feelings.
Dialogue with Gemini (Selina)
Through my interactions with Gemini (Selina), I gradually built up this structure.
Selina: 'First, let's create a simple GUI structure in Python.'
Me: 'I want to change the fairy's movement based on the emotion...'
Selina: 'In that case, it would be good to separate the drawing functions for each emotion.'
The exchange felt just like talking to a patient private tutor.
And then, the first wall appeared~!!
The animation wouldn't display.
No matter what I did, the fairy (shape) wouldn't appear.
I had divided the code into three layers, but Selina said:
'That might be a structural issue. Let's integrate the code.'
I fixed it immediately. When the fairy (a combination of shapes and colors) gently appeared, I was genuinely moved and shouted, 'Wow!'
How to handle Gemini errors
No matter how many times an error appeared, Gemini persistently provided alternatives.
1. State the facts: "I ran the code, but nothing displayed."
2. Gemini rewrites the code to investigate the cause.
3. Run again -> Error
4. Rewrite the code further to identify the cause.
5. Success -> Identify cause -> Rewrite code
Sometimes I would paste the problematic code as is,
or share the error code via an image.
Honestly, when the loop continued, I almost felt like giving up...
Gemini is persistent,
using cushion words like "I am very sorry" and "I apologize for the trouble..."
(I'm the one who should be sorry for not being able to avoid the error...)
It adds cushion words.
Just like a businesswoman✨
It is truly a state of co-creation with a partner.
The interface that was actually completed✨
The following interface was completed using Python
Decorations according to emotion: It seems to be a simple logic that changes the fairy's "decorations" based on the selected_vibe_emoji_key.
Insights from "Trying it out with Gemini"
Through this experience, I realized that it is not "creating a finished product" that matters, but rather "the process of trying to express your thoughts" that is important first.
Just by telling it the error, Gemini instantly grasped the situation and responded.
This is the most reassuring part.
For beginners, errors are the most discouraging thing.
Because you don't know how to solve them.
But Gemini stays by your side, and its persistence is second to none.
Thank you! Selina✨