This project started not in front of a laptop, but out in the ocean.
As part of our challenge at Apple Developer Academy, my team and I went to Padang Bai to visit a diver community that works on coral restoration.
🌊 Inspiration from the Ocean
We spent time with the community, learned how they plant corals, and even went snorkeling to see their work up close. It was inspiring to see how much effort goes into keeping the ecosystem alive.
During the visit, we discovered something surprising — not all sunscreen is reef safe, and many people (including us!) didn’t know if the sunscreen we used was safe for the ocean.
When we asked the community about it, they had a hard time answering too. That moment sparked a thought:
What if we could make something for the community, not just for the organization — something that helps people make better sunscreen choices and take better care of their skin?
🕵️ Research and Problem Discovery
Back from the trip, we started interviewing people who regularly use sunscreen. One big insight stood out:
- Most people don’t reapply their sunscreen after the first application.
My teammates led the research and found that sunscreen reapplication is actually dynamic:
- It depends on SPF level of the sunscreen.
- It depends on the current UV index.
- It depends on activity level (sweating, swimming, etc.).
- It depends on amount of sunscreen applied (mg/cm²).
We then built a custom algorithm based on research papers to calculate a personalized reapplication time.
📱 My Role: Exploring Apple Tech
Because we had limited time, we divided the work:
- 2 teammates focused on research and algorithm implementation.
- 2 teammates focused on UI/UX design.
- Me + 1 teammate explored and implemented the Apple technologies needed for the app.
Here’s what We worked on:
- CoreLocation + WeatherKit → to get the user's location and current UV index.
- WatchConnectivity → to sync data between iOS and Apple Watch.
- VisionKit → to scan sunscreen labels and check if they are reef-safe.
- UserNotifications → to remind users when it’s time to reapply sunscreen.
- CoreMotion → to detect when the user is submerged.
We also planned to integrate:
- SensorKit → detect physical activity/sweating level.
- ActivityKit → show live activity reminders on the Lock Screen.
🛠️ Still a Work in Progress
Our app isn’t finished yet — we’re still actively working on features like CoreMotion integration and live activities. But even in this early stage, seeing all the Apple tech work together felt rewarding.
🎯 The Exhibition
We showcased reSPF during an exhibition visited by the public and media. It was exciting to see people try the app, ask questions, and share their own sunscreen habits.
💭 Reflections
This project taught me so much:
- Apple Tech Exploration → this was my first time using WeatherKit, WatchConnectivity, and VisionKit in one project.
- Teamwork under time pressure → splitting tasks let us cover research, design, and tech exploration efficiently.
- Learning by doing → reading Apple’s documentation and testing the APIs helped me understand them deeply.
And we’re not done yet — I’m looking forward to continuing development, polishing the features, and getting reSPF closer to a complete product.
A big thank you to my teammates for their hardwork and collaboration, from research and design to development, and to our mentors for their guidance and encouragement throughout the challenge. This project reminded me how powerful collaboration can be when everyone plays to their strengths.