BU Spark! Demo Day at the Experiential Learning Expo

Demo Day, May 2, 2025

Looking for a particular project? Click here to find your project poster!

Register here

BU Spark! is an innovation and experiential learning lab for computing, data science, and engineering projects housed at the Boston University Faculty for Computing & Data Sciences. Spark! supports student innovation and engagement in applied research and real-world projects while fostering an inclusive and interdisciplinary community.

Spark! Demo Day is an opportunity for students participating in Spark! supported courses and programs to showcase their work to members of the BU community and with our partners from industry and civil society who engage with Spark! as project sponsors, instructors, and mentors.

Guests will have the opportunity to hear student presentations, visit project demo stations during breakout sessions, and vote on their favorite projects.

Courses

BU Spark! provides students with opportunities to engage in real-world computing and data science projects through courses where students can pursue their own projects or work on an external partner’s project. This semester, Demo Day will showcase the work from different Spark! programs. Learn more about our courses here.

• HUB XC475: Spark! Technology Innovation Fellowship Course
• HUB XC473: Spark! Justice Media co-Lab (JMCL)
• CDS DS488: Spark! UX Design X-Lab Practicum
• CDS DS519 / CAS CS519: Spark! Software Engineering X-Lab Practicum
• CDS DS539: Spark! Data Science Practicum
• CDS DS549 / CAS CS549: Spark! Machine Learning X-Lab Practicum
• CDS DS594:  Spark! Data Visualization X-Lab Practicum
• Spark! Internship

Schedule 

All Spark! presentations will be held in person at Duan Family CCDS, 665 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA. On stage presentations (4:00-5:25) will be streamed live via Zoom (link) starting at 3:55pm.

4:00-4:40 PM Spark! Innovation Program Presentations  – Spark! Space, CDS 2nd floor & Virtual (link)

• Allin
  • All In is a web platform that connects college students for poker games, making the entire experience from discovery to gameplay more social and streamlined. The platform enables users to create profiles, build networks, and easily host or join games with customizable details like stakes, player limits, and locations. It features a robust management system with waitlists, join requests, and guest accommodations for non-registered players. Beyond individual games, All In fosters community through poker groups where like-minded players can connect based on shared interests and skill levels. With built-in reviews, real-time notifications, and automatic status updates, the platform eliminates the logistical headaches of organizing games, helping students find reliable poker experiences whether they’re looking for casual low-stakes games or building campus-wide poker communities.
    
• MarkitIt
  • MarkitIt is a web platform designed to streamline the way small business owners discover, apply for, and prepare for pop-up markets. By centralizing pop-up opportunities across cities, MarkitIt helps vendors find events that align with their goals, audiences, and product types. The platform offers personalized recommendations based on vendor profiles, simplifies the application process, and provides essential tools like budget planning and sourcing checklists. For event hosts, MarkitIt makes it easier to review and manage vendor applications while expanding access to a wider, more diverse pool of businesses. Unlike broad event platforms like Eventbrite or The Vendry, MarkitIt puts small businesses first—using AI to deliver personalized pop-up recommendations and a built-in financial calculator that helps vendors apply only to events that make sense for their goals. With a community hub that connects vendors, hosts, and customers, MarkitIt isn’t just a tool—it’s a support system built to simplify, accelerate, and empower the pop-up journey. MarkitIt creates a more inclusive and equitable economy by giving small, underrepresented businesses the tools and visibility they need to succeed in the pop-up space. By reducing barriers to entry—like complex applications, unclear financial outcomes, and lack of access to event organizers—MarkitIt helps entrepreneurs grow sustainably, reach new audiences, and build community wealth. In doing so, it supports local economies, encourages cultural diversity in markets, and ensures that small businesses aren’t just surviving—they’re thriving.
• MissedConnections
  • MissedConnections is a social media app tailored for Boston University students. The app is designed to connect users based on proximity and shared interests. As users go about their daily commutes, the app prompts them to occasionally check in throughout the day. At 9pm, users will be given their daily three Missed Connections: These are people who were not only somewhere along the users’ path, but also share similar interests, goals, and hobbies. Users can then send a friend request to any their matches and further connect: viewing their full profile, social media links, and any photos the user chooses to include. Users can also access the Events Page to participate in new activities and club events happening around Boston University. Lastly, as users go about their daily routines, they can snap a photo every time they check-in, showcasing their everyday activities to their friends on a 24-hour feed. MissedConnections enables users to go out into the world and make meaningful connections.
• Score
  • Score exposes judicial biases to help criminal defense attorneys improve case strategy and ultimately outcomes. Processing data from over 3.5 million criminal cases, Score identifies patterns in how individual judges handle bail, sentencing, and motion decisions. The platform highlights trends in case dispositions and relative leniency, allowing attorneys to anticipate judicial behavior and tailor their approach accordingly.
    
• Sanvia
  • Sanvia is an AI-powered platform transforming how individuals access and understand medical information online. Inspired by real-life experiences with healthcare challenges, Sanvia empowers users to take control of their health with confidence and comprehensibility. Unlike traditional search engines, it processes complex, contextually burdensome medical queries and integrates user inputs with data from their personal health records, digital fitness trackers like WHOOP, and trusted publicly available medical sources such as WebMD and NIH, bridging the gap between generic searches and personalized healthcare advice. The ultimate incentive of Sanvia is to allow users to be fully aware of the medical resources, alternatives, and implications behind decisions so that they can choose what fits best for their health. The platform leverages these information alongside NLP AI to guide users through context-aware prompts with additional information that builds upon the collection of symptoms so users can better match their health circumstances to likely medical resources and options.
• Fitted
  • Fitted is a fashion-focused social networking app that celebrates self-expression and builds community through style in a pressure-free way. Designed for Gen Z users, Fitted lets users share daily photos of their outfits, tag each item with its occasion and brand, and share them with close friends. Posts appear in the feed for just 24 hours—reducing the pressure to create “perfect” content—before being archived to the users’ profile. The app uses OpenAI’s analysis to automatically generate descriptive tags for each outfit as metadata, making each style searchable and helping users discover new inspiration. Connect with friends and family to exchange emoji reactions (no traditional “likes”), discover outfit inspiration, and celebrate personal style through custom collections where users can save and organize their favorite looks. Fitted combines authenticity, creativity, and connection, offering a dedicated space where fashion becomes a tool for storytelling and meaningful interaction.
• SyncSonic
  • SyncSonic is a smart solution for music lovers looking to create a seamless audio experience across multiple Bluetooth devices. Designed with university students and shared living spaces in mind, our hardware-software interface integrates effortlessly with phone audio, allowing you to synchronize speakers and soundbars from different brands. Using a compact hub, such as a Raspberry Pi, SyncSonic calibrates your devices for optimal sound and location-based setup. With just a few toggles, you can enjoy whole-apartment music/audio synchronization, making every gathering or study session unforgettable. Say goodbye to brand restrictions and hello to harmony!

4:40-5:25 PM XLab Presentations – Spark! Space, CDS 2nd floor & Virtual (link)

• XC473 Justice Media co-Lab:  Think Tanks
• DS488 – UX Practicum: Maple 3.0
• DS519 – SE Practicum: Autonomous Mechanics Challenge
• DS539 – DS Practicum: BU Award Analysis
• DS549 – ML Practicum: Boston Public Library
• DS594 – Data Visualization: OPAT
• Special Showcase from the DS 719 MSDS Project Management Course: Terrier Course Compass

5:30-5:55 PM Round 4 Posters – CDS 1st floor (in-person only)

6:00-6:25 PM Round 5 Posters- CDS 1st floor (in-person only)

6:30-6:55 PM Round 6 Posters – CDS 1st floor (in-person only)

7:00 PM Winners revealed – Audience Choice & Judge’s Innovation Choice – CDS 1st floor  (in-person only)

Floor Plan 

Floor plan w/ project details: click here