This article will tell you how to develop a food delivery app to please your customers and ensure the highest application security.

Business model of a mobile food delivery app

The key function for the sake of which such services are developed is to connect the customer with the entrepreneur. The typical model of interaction between the participants in this segment looks like this:

• Customer decides to eat.
• He or she enters the app and chooses a restaurant/cafe/cookery and a dish.
• He or she makes an order.
• The information goes to the supplier, then to the kitchen, and then cooking starts.
• Finished food is handed over to the courier, who delivers it to the address.
• At the moment of order placement, the client checks the delivery and pays if he or she has not done so before through the app.

This scheme is realized in practice in 3 variants.

Food aggregator

The share of such platforms in the market is the most significant. They are based on the principle of a marketplace. A food delivery application is a platform where cafes and restaurants list menus and the cost of dishes, and customers compare and order.

The restaurants prepare and deliver the food. The food aggregator app works as a bulletin board. In some cases, it is responsible for payment, accepting money from users, and passing it on to the supplier.

The peculiarity of food aggregator development is that the platform provides the interface and functionality for only two types of users – the client and the restaurant. This is also the main difference between food aggregators and other business models. In other cases, there will be three interfaces – for the client, the restaurant, and the courier.

Delivery service app

This is the same food aggregator but already responsible for delivery. For many establishments with a kitchen, this is the best option. Such a service allows any restaurant to declare itself without investing in the organization of its own courier service.

Developing a mobile food delivery application of this type requires more effort than launching a food aggregator. The reason is the need to create a separate interface for couriers and set up the processes of its interaction with the program on the side of the restaurant and the client: order transfer, chat, location control, finances, etc.

Cloud kitchen (ghost kitchen / dark kitchen)

The approach assumes cooperation with businesses that work only for online delivery or the creation of the entire business on a turnkey basis. Developing such a service, you need to think not only about the web platform but also about purchasing and placing equipment, cooking, hiring and training staff, and organizing logistics.

The mobile application for food delivery will be responsible for the menu, cash register, order status control, and courier route. Sometimes, document management and accounting are added to the standard functional set to optimize management.

Mobile food delivery app monetization

Creating a food delivery app is not a cheap process. Most often, the business uses the following methods of monetization:

• Fees – the % that the delivery service receives from the restaurant for each customer brought in
• Advertising – selling free space on the pages of the application
• Delivery payment – money the customer pays for the courier service; the rate can be fixed or floating, depending on the neighborhood, total amount, or speed of order fulfillment

The most optimal strategy can be considered a universal approach using all of the above methods. Depending on the conditions, you can focus your efforts, for example, on getting fees while selling advertising as part of your own marketing strategy.

Food delivery app development

Here are 6 components you must implement in your food delivery application.

UI / UX design

Visuals are important for the food industry. It is possible to start a food delivery app development with design because the appearance of the service reflects on the user experience in the first place. At the same time, the business model, more precisely – the number of roles in it (restaurant, client, courier), will influence the variety of design options.

Conventionally, the process of working with the food delivery application design consists of 3 stages:

• Layout preparation – a general plan of what the app will be like
• Implementation – coding, working with graphic and text elements
• Tests – the technical stability of the app and the effectiveness of the chosen concept, user reaction to the quality of usability are checked

You should remember that during the implementation process, the design may change due to new ideas and hypotheses, error detection, feedback, and A/B-testing results.

User Profile

If the food ordering app is going to integrate payment services and work with personal data, the project needs to create/connect a CRM system. Currently, food delivery applications offer visitors several registration options:

• By email
• By phone, with SMS-code verification
• Through social networks

In addition, virtually all applications allow registration through integration with Google Play and/or App Store. This is convenient for users and, therefore, can positively influence loyalty.

Geolocation

It’s hard to imagine a modern restaurant food delivery app without navigation tools. Tracking the client’s location, prompts to find the nearest cafe or pizzeria, controlling the movement of couriers, and laying the shortest route from the restaurant to the delivery address are typical tasks. The app must solve them by default.

For this purpose, the application should interact with GPS in the customers’ devices and online maps. The choice of geolocation utilities is determined by the platform on which the service is built. While iOS usually uses MapKit, Android uses traditional Google Maps.

This is an important point, as the complexity of development in both cases may differ, which will eventually affect the cost of the food delivery project.

Finances

Payment for orders or intermediary services in this process requires the application to integrate with financial services – software solutions that automate the transfer of funds from buyer to seller. Selecting and connecting such a tool is not an easy task. The process of mutual settlements must be convenient, stable, and secure simultaneously.

For this purpose, as a rule, payment gateways are used. These systems allow you to connect your food delivery service application simultaneously to several banking/electronic services, such as Payoneer, China UnionPay, PayPal, Google Pay, etc. This approach allows you to significantly reduce the hours spent on development and thus reduce the cost of the product.

Analytics

Analytical tools are implemented at this stage, and an event system is built. We mean a structure that will track key user actions (swipes, clicks, transitions between screens, purchases, opening/closing) within the application.

A properly configured collection of analytics allows one to understand how and why a user performs certain actions. This can help optimize usability.

Notifications

Notifications help customers track events in the food app, such as order acceptance, handover to the courier, time remaining until delivery, etc. As customers gain control, this can positively influence user experience and increase customer loyalty. Two types of notifications are most commonly used: push and SMS. 

How much does a food delivery app cost?

It is difficult to give an unambiguous answer to this question. The final cost of the food delivery app will depend on the business model, the functional set, and the developer’s rate. Whether you intend to make a food delivery app from scratch or plan to use ready-made solutions for this purpose is also important.

The minimum cost of developing a food delivery app starts from $15,000 and requires a minimum of three months. The average price of a competitive project is $40,000, and the time to create it is 6 months.

Conclusion

Choosing the right IT partner is crucial to developing a successful food delivery application. If you want to launch your food delivery app quickly, we are here to help you! We have already participated in the development of food delivery apps, such as RapidEx. Our Zartrex Tech team knows all the solutions you can apply to your mobile app to speed up its development. With us, you can launch your MVP in a matter of weeks.

The post How To Build A Food Delivery App appeared first on Soloway.

This article will discuss key features of classified ads sites, their categories, and how to develop a successful classified ads website.

What is a classified ads site?

A classified ads site is a platform or website where individuals or businesses can post advertisements to buy, sell, or trade various goods and services. It allows users to create listings or classifieds that contain relevant information about what they are offering or seeking. Such sites typically organize the listings into different categories and subcategories, making it easier for users to browse and find the specific items or services they are interested in.

These websites are popular for various purposes, such as selling used items, advertising job openings, promoting real estate listings, offering services like tutoring or home repairs, and much more. Users can typically interact with the ads by contacting the advertiser directly through email, phone, or other specified methods. In some cases, classified ads sites may also include additional features like location-based searches, price filters, and photo uploads to enhance the user experience and help buyers and sellers connect more effectively.

Examples of well-known classified ads sites include Craigslist, Kijiji, OLX, and Gumtree. These platforms have become popular online marketplaces where people can connect and engage in various transactions locally, nationally, or even internationally.

Key features of classified ads sites

Key features of classified ads sites can vary depending on the specific requirements and niche of the site. However, here are some common features that are typically found in classified ads sites:

• User registration and profiles. The site must allow users to create accounts and manage their profiles. This enables them to post, edit, and manage their listings, as well as track their activities and communication on the site.
• Ad posting. The site must provide users with the ability to create and publish ads. This includes title, description, price, location, contact details, and images or videos to showcase the advertised item or service.
• Search and filter options. The site must allow users to search for specific ads based on keywords, categories, location, price range, or other relevant criteria. Filter options help users narrow down their search results to find relevant listings more efficiently.
• Categories and subcategories. Your classified ads site should organize ads into various categories and subcategories to facilitate easy navigation and browsing for users. This allows them to quickly explore specific interest sections and find relevant ads.
• Location-based search. The site must enable users to search for ads within a specific location or radius. This feature is handy for users looking for local services, events, or items for sale in their area.
• Messaging and communication. You can facilitate communication between buyers and sellers by providing a messaging system or contact forms within the site. This lets users inquire about listings, negotiate prices, and arrange transactions securely.
• Ad Management. You must provide users with options to manage their ads, including editing, renewing, marking as sold or expired, and deleting listings when they are no longer relevant.
• User reviews and ratings. Implementing a system where users can leave reviews and ratings for sellers or service providers is desirable. This builds trust and credibility among users and helps them make informed decisions when engaging with others on the site.
• Admin panel and moderation. You must include an admin panel with moderation tools to manage user accounts, review and approve ads, handle reported content, and enforce site policies and guidelines.
• Analytics and reporting. You should implement tracking and analytics tools to gather insights on user behavior, ad performance, site traffic, and other relevant metrics. This information can be used to optimize the site, improve user experience, and make informed business decisions.

These are just some key features commonly found in classified ads sites. Depending on your specific requirements, you can customize and add additional features to enhance your site’s functionality and user experience.

Five types of classified ad sites with real-world examples

Classified ad sites can be categorized based on the type of goods or services they specialize in. Here are some common categories of classified ad websites:

1. General classified ads sites:
   • Craigslist. It is one of the most popular online classifieds platforms, offering various categories such as jobs, housing, personals, services, and items for sale.
   • Gumtree. It is a classified ads site that covers various categories, including jobs, real estate, vehicles, services, and community-related ads. It is particularly popular in the UK, Australia, and South Africa.
2. Job classified ads sites:
   • Indeed. It is a leading job search engine that aggregates job listings from various sources, allowing job seekers to find employment opportunities in their desired fields.
   • Glassdoor. It is a thriving community for workplace conversations, driven by a simple mission: helping people everywhere find jobs and companies they love.
3. Real estate classified ads sites:
   • Zillow. It is a prominent online real estate marketplace that allows users to search for properties, apartments, and houses for sale or rent in specific locations.
   • Realtor.com. It is a platform dedicated to providing listings of residential properties for sale or rent, focusing on helping users find real estate agents.
4. Auto classified ads sites:
   • AutoTrader. It is a comprehensive platform for buying and selling new and used vehicles, offering various search filters and detailed vehicle information.
   • Cars.com. It is a popular online marketplace that connects buyers and sellers, providing listings of new and used cars, as well as research tools and reviews.
5. Pet classified ads sites:
   • Petfinder. It is a platform powered by PURINA that helps users find adoptable pets, connecting animal shelters and rescue organizations with potential pet owners.
   • PuppyFind. This online marketplace specializes in selling puppies, connecting breeders with individuals interested in buying a specific breed.

These are just a few examples of classified ad sites categorized by type. Each platform focuses on specific industries, allowing users to find relevant listings and connect with buyers or sellers in their desired sectors.

Case study: developing a cost-effective photo area for classified ads site Lalafo

At Zartrex Tech, our team has a diverse experience in over 15 domains, including classified ads websites. One of the last projects where we worked with a classified ads site was Lalafo.

Lalafo is a C2C classified ads site powered by AI. It applies computer vision and NLP to re-imagine how people sell second-hand items and cars and find real estate, jobs, and services.

The client approached us to create an easy-to-scale photo area requiring minimal costs to improve its inventory management processes in the warehouse. He struggled with shooting all the items that arrived at the warehouse and their placement.

Our key task was to create applications for the photo zone that connect via a local WIFI network. The first device was a smartphone that acts as a camera attached to the photo zone and sends photos to the server. The second device was a tablet that controls the entire process, from taking a photo of the item to attaching it to the product. After that, the person can add a few tags that describe the item and store the product on the server.

Before our work, the photo zone used a full-fledged DSLR camera and a desktop computer. To simplify the rapid increase of photo zone quantity for our client, we needed to reduce the price of one photo zone. We replaced full-fledged DSLR cameras with fairly cheap Android mobile devices. Thus, we managed to reduce the cost of a photo zone by about 2 times.

The workflow and architecture of the application were taken from the finished program on the PC. The UX/UI stayed the same. To realize the connection between the two devices, we immediately implemented a WebSocket connection, and WebRTC technology was used to send video in real-time. The entire backend part was already implemented on the client side, so their API was used entirely. 

Since this is not a direct commercial but a warehouse product, the project does not use Google Play for updates. It was decided to update via AWS Storage provided by the client. The apps first download the meta files, compare the versions of the apps, and if they are different, download the APK and install the new version.

Our photo area allowed the warehouse employees to:

• Take photos of items with the necessary resolution and in the required position.
• Immediately choose tags defining their state, size, etc.
• Instantly print the barcode with the unique data for placement in the warehouse.

The diverse experience allowed us to solve all the pitfalls during our work. As a result, our development team helped our client to optimize their warehouse processes regarding new item butches receiving and placing on the shelves.

How to build a classified ads website?

Building a classified ads website involves eight steps:

1. Defining objectives. You must determine the purpose and goals of your classified ads website. Consider the target audience, the types of listings, and the unique value proposition you plan to offer.
2. Planning website structure and features. Outline the categories, subcategories, and features you want to include in your website. Consider user registration, ad posting, search and filtering options, messaging system, user profiles, and any additional functionalities specific to your niche.
3. Choosing a development approach. Decide whether you want to build the website from scratch using programming languages and frameworks or utilize a content management system (CMS) that offers ready-made templates and functionality.
4. Designing UI. Create a visually appealing, user-friendly interface that aligns with your branding and enhances the user experience. Pay attention to intuitive navigation, clear call-to-action buttons, and responsive design for mobile devices.
5. Developing the website. If building from scratch, hire an experienced web development team like Zartrex Tech. Ensure they have expertise in the required programming languages, frameworks, and databases to develop the functionality outlined in your planning phase.
6. Debugging. Thoroughly test the website to identify and resolve technical issues, usability problems, or security vulnerabilities. Test features, responsiveness, and compatibility across different devices and browsers and perform rigorous user testing.
7. Deploying the website. Choose a reliable web hosting provider and deploy your classified ads site on a secure server. Configure the necessary domains, SSL certificates, and DNS settings to ensure the website is accessible to users.
8. Optimizing for search engines. Implement search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to improve the visibility of your classified ads website in search engine results. Optimize metadata, use relevant keywords, and focus on generating quality content.

Remember that building a successful classified ads website is an ongoing process. Stay updated with market trends, adapt to user needs, and provide exceptional customer support to foster trust and build a thriving online community of buyers and sellers.

Conclusion

As you build or improve your classified ads site, remember to prioritize user experience, security, and scalability. Regularly analyze user behavior and feedback, adapt to evolving market trends, and continuously enhance your platform to stay ahead of the competition.

With a well-designed and feature-rich classified ads site, you have the potential to create a thriving online marketplace that connects buyers and sellers, fosters trust, and facilitates successful transactions. Embrace the power of classified ads sites and unlock the opportunities they offer in the dynamic world of e-commerce and online marketplaces. Contact us if you need a reliable classified ads site development partner.

The post Building a Successful Classified Ads Site: A Case Study of Lalafo and Our Development Team’s Expertise appeared first on Soloway.

This article discusses components of the e-commerce logistics process, types of logistics management, and challenges facing e-commerce logistics.

What is e-commerce logistics?

E-commerce logistics is a system for managing and organizing the efficient movement of goods, services, and information in online commerce. It covers all processes related to the storage, transportation, and delivery of goods ordered through online platforms.

Components of the e-commerce logistics process

E-commerce logistics is an important element of the e-commerce ecosystem, affecting customer satisfaction, cost savings, and business competitiveness. The main aspects of e-commerce logistics include:

• Storage. E-commerce logistics includes managing warehouses where goods are stored before they are shipped to customers. Efficient warehouse management helps to reduce costs and ensure that goods are available to fulfill orders.
• Packaging. The process of packaging goods to ensure their safety during transportation is very important. Effective packaging can reduce the risk of damage to goods and increase customer satisfaction.
• Transportation. The organization and execution of the process of delivering ordered goods to customers must be managed. This can include various shipping methods such as post, courier services, air freight, etc.
• Operations. This includes tracking orders, managing inventory, processing payments, and ensuring returns are handled.
• Technology and information systems. You need to use specialized software tools to manage logistics, automate processes, and ensure effective communication between all participants in the supply chain.

E-commerce logistics is a complex process that requires well-established cooperation between online retailers, suppliers, logistics companies, and other parties. Its effective implementation helps ensure fast and reliable delivery of goods, which is essential to maintain customer satisfaction and develop a successful e-commerce business. This is why transportation companies constantly integrate innovations like blockchain, AI, and IoT.

Types of logistics management

Depending on the nature and scale of the company’s activities, different types of logistics management can be distinguished. The main ones include:

• Inbound logistics. It is focused on managing the logistics processes of the company’s internal operations. It includes inventory management, production planning, assembly line management, quality control, and other processes related to producing goods.
• Outbound logistics. It focuses on optimizing the activities related to the distribution of products from manufacturers to end customers or retailers. This includes managing warehouses, transportation, packaging, delivery, and order processing activities.
• Reverse logistics. It focuses on circulating and processing returned goods or handling the reverse flow of materials and packaging. This is important for managing customer returns, processing defective goods, or recycling.
• International logistics. It focuses on optimizing the transportation, storage, and handling of goods in international supply chains. This type of logistics management faces challenges related to customs formalities, cultural differences, and different laws and regulations in different countries.

These are some of the key types of logistics management. Each type comes with its own set of challenges and requires specialized knowledge and expertise to optimize the flow of goods and services in a given context.

Challenges facing e-commerce logistics

E-commerce logistics can face various challenges as it is a complex and dynamic process. Some of the major challenges faced by e-commerce logistics include the following:

• Order processing and shipping. Due to the growing popularity of e-commerce, businesses must efficiently process large numbers of orders and ensure timely delivery. This can place increased demands on warehouse management and delivery systems.
• Systems integration. Efficient logistics requires integrating various systems such as order management, inventory management, cargo tracking systems, freight forwarder systems, etc. Maintaining compatibility and synchronization between these systems can be challenging.
• Route optimization. Ensuring delivery efficiency means finding optimal delivery routes that reduce transportation costs and shorten delivery times. Various factors must be considered, such as road conditions, traffic, and order volume.
• Reverse logistics. Handling returned goods is a complex process, as it involves checking the condition of the goods, returning them to the warehouse, storing them, and, if necessary, sending them back to the supplier or manufacturer.
• Taxes and customs restrictions. International e-commerce may face different tax rules and customs restrictions, which can complicate border-crossing processes and affect delivery times.
• Maintaining the quality of goods. Some goods, especially food and bulk goods, require special storage and transportation conditions to maintain their quality and safety. This can create additional challenges for logistics processes.
• Customer expectations. Customers are becoming increasingly demanding regarding delivery time, service quality, and convenience. E-commerce logistics must meet these expectations, which may require continuous process improvement.

At Zartrex Tech, we can help you cope with any e-commerce logistics challenges. Let`s discuss our expertise and success stories.

Success stories: how Zartrex Tech transformed logistics systems for businesses like yours

We at Zartrex Tech are a passionate team of diverse professionals with years of experience. For over 15 years, we have transformed 800+ businesses and satisfied over 500+ clients. Our median NPS score is 60, which shows our value as a reliable IT partner. In the logistics industry, we’re experts in:

• Discovery phase and IT transformation approach
• Web platforms development and modernization
• Application development and modernization
• Software support and maintenance
• Innovative technology-based solution integration

Now we want to discuss our 2 case studies in the logistics and transportation industry.

Logistics System

Logistics System is a complex project that automatizes the logistic processes of the agricultural corporation. It also helps to use the company’s available resources as effectively as possible to increase efficiency.

This project aimed to develop a unique system for building the most optimal routes for the milk tanks to optimize the process of gathering milk from the farmers. The idea was to help to eliminate costs, manage all transport remotely, and simplify the organization of all working processes of the corporation.

The complexity of this project was in developing a smart algorithm for building the optimal route for milk tanks, considering many different factors. These factors include the volume of sections of milk tanks, planned volume of milk for each working shift, time for collecting milk, location of the farmers, refrigerators, factories, and other participants of the working process, etc. We have developed special mathematical formulas for the implementation of this functionality.

As a result, we build a system providing optimal routes in a real-time mode. This solution has caused noticeable changes in the efficiency of an agricultural company within just a month of its implementation.

Navizor

Navizor is a service for assessing the road surface’s condition and planning trips on the roads with a high-quality covering.

Scaling Navizor when there was an extreme increase in users from different countries was challenging. There was an intense load on the servers and databases. The realization of navigation functions in mobile applications was also not easy.

As a result, we created the first in the world mobile navigator, which allowed planning the routes considering the quality of the roads. It also warned drivers about dangerous areas of roads. We have developed an intelligent algorithm for calculating the quality of the road covering.

Conclusion

E-commerce logistics plays a crucial role in the success of online businesses, influencing customer satisfaction, cost savings, and overall competitiveness. The efficient movement of goods, services, and information is essential for maintaining a smooth and seamless experience from the moment a customer clicks the “order” button to the delivery of their purchased items.

At Zartrex Tech, we have a track record of transforming logistics systems for businesses like yours, ensuring streamlined operations and successful outcomes. Our expertise and success stories demonstrate our ability to effectively tackle various e-commerce logistics challenges.

The post Step-by-Step Guide: Developing an Effective Logistics Management System appeared first on Soloway.

Veer: A New Approach to Leave Management

Veer was created as a response to one of the most pressing problems of American employers and their employees – leave management. This includes various types of leave such as medical, military, pregnancy, and childcare.

The problems stem from the lack of:

• A single leave standard. In each case, the conditions depend on the employee’s insurance policy, the rules of the company where they work, and the state in which the employee or business is located.
• Convenient and clear communication: Leave administration is typically handled by the so-called third-party administrators (TPAs) — external companies that collaborate with technology giants. However, communication with TPAs often involves long wait times on phone calls, bureaucratic language, and a lack of clarity.

The most challenging cases are related to pregnancy and childcare leaves. It is extremely difficult for hired female workers who are planning to give birth to navigate their entitlements and the payment structure of these leaves. As a result, women who are building their careers often choose not to have children altogether.

During the administration of Barack Obama, the government took steps to improve these conditions and began pressuring corporations. Currently, large companies are competing with each other to provide benefits to their employees. For example, at Google, women are entitled to a 24-week fully paid childcare leave, while men can take 18 weeks. Adobe and Apple offer 16 weeks of paid parental leave for parents of newborns.

However, the issues with leave management remain relevant. This caught the attention of entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley who decided to create the best HR business in the field. Over the course of two years, two business partners conducted research among employers, which confirmed that one of the most pressing topics is pregnancy and childcare leave. To help solve this and similar problems, the entrepreneurs launched Veer Technologies in 2019.

According to Veer’s statistics, approximately 10 percent of employees in each company require urgent unplanned leave each year. The system helps employers manage these processes in a digital format:

• HR managers have access to all the relevant information, including the number of planned vacation days for employees, payment programs, absence dates, and more.
• The program includes convenient visualization, checklists, and reminders for obtaining specific documents and making payments. All of this helps reduce the number of inquiries to third-party administrators (TPAs) and streamlines the work for managers by minimizing the complexity of document management.

Data security is a key factor in Veer’s sales strategy.

Veer focuses on enterprise businesses with a minimum of 10,000 employees, including top Silicon Valley companies like Adobe. When attracting such clients, ensuring data security is crucial since Veer deals with confidential information. Here’s what one of the Veer co-founders says about it:

• Security is a crucial factor in shaping the product roadmap. Without it, customers won’t take the proposition seriously. This factor has become one of the decisive factors in Veer’s success.
• The CEO’s task is to embed security into the company culture: prioritize it, communicate its importance to employees, and develop rituals that serve as reminders. For example, Alex has biweekly meetings with security managers to review the roadmap.
• Data security should be addressed at the very beginning of a company’s creation. Businesses often postpone this issue for several years. As a result, all data is stored on cloud services (which is an additional cost for the business), so both the cost and security of the product are out of control.
• Attention to data security and a willingness to learn help turn customers into promoters. Veer increased its subscription count by 250 percent by not only selling a quality product but also learning from market leaders who contribute to its improvement.

Collaboration with Zartrex Tech: Ukrainian developers as an integral part of the team.

While searching for contractors, Veer focused on companies that not only had the necessary expertise but also prioritized data security. Zartrex Tech specialists meet these requirements.

Today, Ukrainian developers are part of the Veer team. They work on the same tasks as their American colleagues, developing various components of the product for enterprise corporations.

Each client company has its own rules regarding different types of leaves in terms of duration, payment, the ability to take leaves in parts, and other details. The developers’ task is to implement individual requirements into the product and then maintain the relevance of settings according to changes in the company’s rules and/or changes in the legislation of the countries where it operates.

Ukrainian developers are not limited to involvement in specific parts of the processes but participate across the board: notifications, leave configuration parameters, surveys, integration with third-party systems, managerial and administrative aspects of the product, and more.

“The involved specialists are an integral part of the team and participate in all activities alongside their colleagues,” says Veer about the Ukrainian developers. “Although each sprint brings challenges due to the prominent names of our clients, we overcome them.”

Conclusions 

The experience of collaboration between Zartrex Tech and Veer has shown that Ukrainian developers successfully solve the challenges posed by enterprise corporations from Silicon Valley. Our developers not only have the relevant expertise but also prioritize data security, which is extremely important for customers.

If you are also looking for a reliable product development partner, turn to Zartrex , and we will offer a solution to help your business grow.

The post How Ukrainian Developers Help Companies From Silicon Valley: Zartrex And The American Startup Veer Case Study appeared first on Soloway.

This article discusses examples of industries where object detection can be used and how Google Lens works. We will also discuss examples of image recognition apps and how to develop an image recognition app.

What is object detection?

Object detection is a computer vision technology that detects and identifies objects of interest within an image or video. It is a crucial task in various fields, such as autonomous driving, surveillance, and robotics, where machines must identify and track objects in real-time.

Object detection algorithms typically work by first detecting regions in an image that may contain objects using a technique called object proposal. These regions are then analyzed using machine learning algorithms, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), to determine the presence of objects and classify them into predefined categories, such as humans, cars, or animals.

The output of an object detection system usually includes the location of detected objects, represented as bounding boxes and their corresponding labels. Object detection can be performed using various approaches, including two-stage methods like R-CNN and one-stage methods like YOLO and SSD.

Examples of industries where object detection can be used

Object detection technology has many practical applications across different industries:

1. Autonomous vehicles. Object detection is used extensively in developing autonomous vehicles, which must identify and track objects such as pedestrians, other vehicles, and road signs.
2. Surveillance and security. This technology identifies and tracks objects of interest in security cameras and surveillance systems, such as people, vehicles, and suspicious objects.
3. Retail. Object detection helps to monitor foot traffic, detect shopper behavior, and track inventory levels in retail stores.
4. Agriculture. Agriculture companies worldwide use it to identify and monitor crop health, detect pests and diseases, and track livestock.
5. Healthcare. This cutting-edge technology can be used in medical imaging to identify and locate abnormalities, such as tumors, in X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs.
6. Robotics. Object detection can enable robots to identify and manipulate objects in real-world environments, such as manufacturing plants or warehouses.
7. Sports. Object detection technology can track athletes’ movements, detect rule violations, and analyze game statistics in various sports, such as basketball and soccer.

Our developers have extensive experience in applying object detection technology for different purposes. This allows us to implement object detection solutions in almost any business domain.

Object detection algorithms

There are several object detection algorithms, each with different strengths and weaknesses:

1. Region-based Convolutional Neural Networks (R-CNNs). This object detection algorithm uses selective search to propose regions of interest fed into a CNN to extract features and classify objects.
2. Fast R-CNN. Fast R-CNN improves on R-CNN by sharing computation between the region proposal and classification stages, resulting in shorter processing times.
3. Faster R-CNN. This object detection algorithm introduces a Region Proposal Network (RPN) that shares features with the object detection network, resulting in shorter processing times.
4. You Only Look Once (YOLO). YOLO treats object detection as a regression problem and predicts bounding boxes and class probabilities directly from the entire image in a single pass.
5. Single Shot Detector (SSD). SSD is similar to YOLO in that it predicts bounding boxes and class probabilities directly from the image in a single pass. Still, it uses multiple layers with different aspect ratios to detect objects at different scales.
6. RetinaNet. This object detection algorithm uses a focal loss function to address the class imbalance problem in object detection, where negative examples greatly outweigh the positive ones.
7. Mask R-CNN. This object detection algorithm extends Faster R-CNN to predict object masks, bounding boxes, and class probabilities.

These algorithms have different trade-offs in terms of speed, accuracy, and complexity, and the choice of algorithm depends on the specific application and requirements.

How does Google Lens work?

Google Lens is an image recognition technology developed by Google that allows users to use their smartphone cameras to search for information about objects in the real world. Here’s how Google Lens works:

1. Image capture. The user takes a picture of an object using their smartphone camera.
2. Image processing. The image is sent to Google’s servers, where it undergoes various processing steps, such as image recognition, object detection, and feature extraction.
3. Object recognition. The image is analyzed to identify any objects or text within it using deep learning models, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and recurrent neural networks (RNNs).
4. Information retrieval. Once the object has been identified, Google Lens retrieves relevant information about it from various sources, such as Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Translate.
5. Display results. The results are displayed to the user in a user-friendly format, such as a knowledge panel or a pop-up card, which may include information about the object’s history, related products, or nearby locations.

With Google Lens, people can translate, do smart text selection, smart text search, shop, ask Google questions, search around them, and much more.

Technical aspects of Google Lens

Here are some technical aspects of Google Lens:

1. Deep learning models. Google Lens uses deep learning models like CNNs and RNNs to perform object and text recognition. These models are trained on massive amounts of data to learn to recognize objects and text in various contexts.
2. Cloud-based processing. Google Lens relies on cloud-based processing to perform image processing and object recognition, which allows it to leverage Google’s massive computing infrastructure and scale seamlessly.
3. Integration with other Google services. Google Lens is integrated with other services, such as Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Translate, to retrieve relevant information about identified objects and provide a seamless user experience.
4. Real-time processing. Google Lens is designed to work in real-time, allowing users to get instant results from their smartphone cameras. This requires high-performance computing and efficient algorithms to minimize the processing time.

Overall, Google Lens is an advanced image recognition technology that uses deep learning models and cloud-based processing to identify objects and text in real-time and retrieve relevant information from various sources.

Examples of image recognition apps

Image recognition technology has many practical applications, and many apps use it to improve user experiences:

1. Shazam. This app identifies songs by listening to music and matching them with a known song database.
2. Snapchat. It uses image recognition to apply filters and effects to users’ faces, such as adding dog ears or a flower crown.
3. Amazon Go. It is a cashierless store that uses image recognition to track customers’ movements and purchases in real-time.
4. Ikea Place. Thanks to image recognition technology, this app allows users to place virtual furniture in their homes to see how it would look before making a purchase.
5. PlantSnap. It identifies plants and flowers in real-time, allowing users to learn more about them.
6. Vivino. It identifies wine labels and provides information about the wine, such as reviews, ratings, and pricing.

These are just a few examples of today’s many image recognition apps. As technology continues to improve, we can expect to see even more innovative apps that use image recognition to enhance our lives in new and exciting ways.

How to develop an image recognition app?

Developing an image recognition app is a complex process. Here are the main steps:

1. Defining the app’s purpose and features. Before starting development, it’s essential to determine the app’s purpose and characteristics. This includes identifying the types of objects or images the app will recognize, the level of accuracy required, and any additional features, such as real-time processing or integration with other services.
2. Collecting and preprocessing data. This step is needed to train the ML models to power image recognition. This involves collecting a large dataset of images and annotating them with labels that indicate the objects or features of interest. The images may also need to be preprocessed to improve their quality or standardize their format.
3. Training ML models. Once the dataset is collected and preprocessed, the next step is to train machine learning models using techniques such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs) or recurrent neural networks (RNNs). The models should be trained on a subset of the data and validated on another subset to ensure they accurately identify the objects or features of interest.
4. Developing and testing the app. Now it is necessary to integrate ML models into the app and create UI and other features. The app should be thoroughly tested to ensure accuracy, responsiveness, and usability.
5. Deploying and monitoring the app. After deploying an app to users, it’s vital to monitor its performance and accuracy and make improvements as needed.

Developing an image recognition app requires Python or Java developers and experience with ML frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch. It also requires access to powerful computing resources to train the machine learning models. And the Zartrex team can help you with this.

Working Together: An Inside Look at Our Collaboration Process

Choosing a reliable object detection development partner with case studies and niche expertise is challenging for many businesses. But you are lucky as you encountered the Zartrex team. 

We are experts in object detection technology development with several successful projects in this domain. Our ability to scale quickly and establish processes allows you to start working on the project almost immediately. Over 14 years of technological expertise help us to deliver cutting-edge solutions to our clients. Our cooperation with you will look like this:

• Problem analysis. We start with an in-depth analysis to understand your business, requests, and current position in the market.
• Solution creation. We assemble a team and start with prototyping and UI/UX design.
• MVP development. We make your project live as an MVP using Agile methodology.
• Product integration. We release the product and help you integrate the solution into your tech infrastructure.
• Support and update. We can further support your project to keep your product running optimally.

We recently worked on a web-based search engine for an e-commerce shop. This project was reviewed by our project manager, Oksana Lysionok:

“We were able to address the low conversion issue by implementing changes to both the application and website’s UX. We stabilized the system and added new functionality that simplified the service for users. As the project is large and consists of many components, it has taught us to take a comprehensive approach to problem-solving”.

Our team for this project included: UX/UI designers, analysts, React Native and Python developers, QA experts, ReactJS/Node.js developers, and a project manager.

Final thoughts

A reliable partner in object detection technology development should have a team of experts who are knowledgeable and skilled in computer vision and machine learning. They should have a strong understanding of object detection techniques and the latest advancements in the field. And you already know one such partner – Zartrex .

The post Unlocking Business Growth with Object Detection Technology, Similar to Google Lens: Real-World Applications and Benefits appeared first on Soloway.