Palmodoro - Your new study assistant!

Palmodoro is a chrome extension that utilizes the powerful technique of "Pomodoro", incented by Francesco Cirillo to help deal with pressure and maintain a sustainable work effort. (https://www.pomodorotechnique.com/) Additionally, we took inspiration from the palm pilot which set out to be a handheld productivity device before the smart phone.

These two philosophies inspired us to make a retro themed chrome extension, along the lines of a 'dumb phone' which would help you stay on top of your work without getting distracted!

Features

Study Teacher (Professor StudyBot)

• AI-Powered Learning Assistant: Integrated Gemini AI configured as "Professor StudyBot"
• Socratic Method Teaching: Guides students to solutions rather than giving direct answers
• Subject-Specific Approaches: Tailored teaching for Math/Science, Literature, History, Programming, and Study Skills
• Session Context Tracking: Remembers previous questions in study sessions
• Encouraging Feedback: Dynamic encouraging phrases and progress recognition

Pomodoro Timer System

• Work/Break Session Management: Customizable work and break durations
• Persistent Timer State: Continues running even if extension is closed
• Session Completion Notifications: Visual completion pages with session summaries
• Background Processing: Service worker maintains timer state

Distraction Management

• Smart Domain Detection: Automatically identifies work-related domains
• Distraction Alerts: Warns users when visiting non-work sites during work sessions
• Work Domain Persistence: Remembers designated work sites across sessions
• Tab Monitoring: Real-time tracking of active tabs during study sessions

Other function - Task Manager

Installation

1. Download/Clone this repository
2. Open Chrome and navigate to chrome://extensions/
3. Enable Developer Mode (toggle in top right)
4. Click "Load unpacked" and select the project folder
5. Configure Gemini API (see API Setup below)

API Setup

Gemini AI Configuration

1. Get API Key: Visit Google AI Studio
2. Add to Config: Rename example-config.json to config.json and insert your API key:

   {
     "geminiApiKey": "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE"
   }

3. Uncomment/comment lines in service-worker.js to get the response from the API.

// response = await fetch(`https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/models/gemini-2.0-flash-exp:generateContent?key=${geminiApiKey}`, {
//   method: 'POST',
//   headers: {
//     'Content-Type': 'application/json'
//   },
//   body: JSON.stringify(requestBody)
// });
response = '{"candidates": [{"content": {"parts": [{ "text": "Of course, happy to help!"}]}}]}'; // test response for sessionContext. Comment this out and uncomment above when using valid API key

3. Reload Extension: Refresh the extension in Chrome

The extension automatically loads the API key from config.json and stores it securely in Chrome storage.

Usage Guide

Study Sessions

1. Click Extension Icon in Chrome toolbar
2. Select Study Session (pen and notepad - top middle icon)
3. Set Timer and get to work! (25 minutes default)
4. Get distraction alerts if you navigate to non-work sites

Domain Management

1. Access Domain Manager (key icon)
2. Add/remove work domains manually or through distraction alerts

Study Chats

1. Open Study Chat (Gemini icon)
2. Ask study-related questions
3. Session context resets each time you enter the chat

Technical Architecture

Core Components

• Service Worker: service-worker.js - Background processing, timer management, AI integration
• Popup Interface: popup/ - Main user interface and navigation
• Content Scripts: content-scripts/distraction.js - Sends distraction alert directly to DOM.
• AI Integration: Inline Gemini API implementation with Professor StudyBot persona

Key Technologies

• Chrome Extensions API (Manifest v3)
• Google Gemini AI (generativelanguage.googleapis.com)
• Chrome Storage API for persistence
• Chrome Alarms API for timer functionality
• Chrome Tabs API for distraction detection

Timer Functionality

• Customizable Durations: Adjustable work/break periods (cycles until the session termination by user)
• State Persistence: Survives browser/extension restarts and continues in the background

Distraction Detection

• Automatic Domain Learning: Identifies distractions upon webpage load
• Real-time Monitoring: Tracks tab switches during work sessions
• Alert System: Intrusive warnings for off-task browsing keeps you on task
• Domain Management: Manual override and configuration options

Development

Setup

git clone [repository]
cd BostonHacks2025
# Load as unpacked extension in Chrome

Key Files to Modify

• Service Worker: service-worker.js - Background logic
• UI Styles: popup/styles/main.css - Global styling
• AI Prompts: service-worker.js (buildTeacherPrompt function)
• Configuration: config.json - API keys and settings

Extension Permissions

• tabs: Tab monitoring for distraction detection
• activeTab: Current tab information access
• storage: Persistent timer and configuration storage
• scripting: Content script injection for alerts
• alarms: Background timer functionality
• notifications: Alerts for session completion

Troubleshooting

Debug Console

• Extension Popup: Right-click popup → "Inspect"
• Service Worker: Chrome Extensions page → "Service Worker" link
• Content Scripts: F12 on any webpage → Console tab

Future Enhancements

Potential Features

• Study Analytics: Session statistics and productivity metrics
• Custom Study Plans: Personalized learning schedules
• Collaborative Sessions: Multi-user study rooms
• Advanced AI: Subject-specific AI tutors
• Mobile Companion: Smartphone app integration

Technical Improvements

• Offline Support: Local AI model integration
• Enhanced Analytics: Detailed productivity tracking
• Custom Themes: User-configurable color schemes
• Plugin System: Modular feature architecture

Acknowledgments

• Authors: Alexander Smeulders, Andrew Cho, Ethan Cappelleri, Sohan Atluri
• Google Gemini AI for intelligent tutoring capabilities
• Chrome Extensions API for platform foundation