Brain Brew

An AI-Powered Socratic Learning Platform

Brain Brew transforms passive PDF reading into an engaging, interactive learning experience by combining the ancient Socratic method with cutting-edge AI technology. Instead of simply consuming information, students develop critical thinking skills through guided questioning and active learning.

Overview

Brain Brew addresses a growing challenge in modern education: the over-reliance on AI tools for instant answers rather than deep understanding. Our platform flips this dynamic by using AI as a Socratic tutor that asks thoughtful questions, encouraging students to think critically and discover insights independently.

Key Benefits

• Active Learning: Transform lecture slides into interactive learning sessions
• Adaptive Difficulty: Questions automatically adjust based on your performance
• Critical Thinking: Develop problem-solving skills through guided discovery
• Personalized Experience: AI adapts to your learning pace and understanding level

Features

User Authentication & Account Management

• Secure sign up and login powered by Supabase
• Cloud-based PDF storage accessible from anywhere
• Personal dashboard to manage all your learning materials
• Persistent learning progress across sessions

Intelligent PDF Processing

• Drag-and-drop or browse file upload interface
• Automatic content extraction and analysis using Google Gemini AI
• Smart topic identification from lecture materials
• Support for PDFs up to 10MB
• File management with upload date and topic tracking

Socratic Learning Experience

• AI-generated questions based on your PDF content
• Four progressive difficulty levels (Basic → Foundational → Intermediate → Advanced)
• Adaptive difficulty system that responds to your performance
• Progressive hint system (up to 3 hints per question)
• Real-time feedback on answer quality
• Performance tracking for continuous improvement

Voice Input Support

• Speech-to-text for hands-free answer submission
• Natural language processing for conversational interaction
• Cross-browser speech recognition support

Modern User Interface

• Sleek gradient design with smooth animations
• Interactive LiquidEther background effects
• Responsive layout optimized for desktop learning
• Intuitive navigation between features
• Clean, distraction-free learning environment

Technology Stack

Frontend

• React 18 - Component-based UI architecture
• TypeScript - Type-safe development
• Vite - Fast build tooling and hot module replacement
• Tailwind CSS - Utility-first styling framework
• React Router - Seamless client-side navigation
• React Hot Toast - User-friendly notifications

Backend & Services

• Supabase - Complete backend infrastructure
  • PostgreSQL database for metadata storage
  • Authentication system for secure user management
  • File storage (1GB free tier)
  • Row-level security for data protection
• Google Gemini AI - Advanced AI capabilities
  • PDF content extraction and analysis
  • Socratic question generation
  • Natural language understanding
  • Topic identification

Additional Libraries

• Three.js - 3D graphics and animations
• Web Speech API - Voice input functionality

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18 or higher
• npm or yarn package manager
• Supabase account (sign up free)
• Google Gemini API key (get one here)

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone <your-repo-url>
   cd brain-brew

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Configure Supabase

   • Follow the setup guide in SUPABASE_SETUP.md
   • Create a new Supabase project
   • Set up the database schema and storage bucket
   • Configure Row Level Security policies

4. Set up environment variables

   Create a .env file in the root directory:

   VITE_SUPABASE_URL=your_supabase_project_url
   VITE_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY=your_supabase_anon_key
   VITE_GEMINI_API_KEY=your_gemini_api_key

5. Start the development server

   npm run dev

   Access the application at http://localhost:5173

How to Use

1. Create an Account: Sign up with your email to get started
2. Upload Materials: Upload your lecture PDFs (drag-and-drop or browse)
3. AI Processing: Brain Brew automatically analyzes and extracts key topics
4. Start Learning: Begin your Socratic learning session with AI-generated questions
5. Adaptive Learning: The system adjusts difficulty based on your responses
6. Track Progress: Monitor your performance and revisit materials anytime

Learning Methodology

Brain Brew implements a proven pedagogical approach:

1. Introduction: AI provides context about the topic
2. Questioning: Thought-provoking questions guide discovery
3. Feedback: Constructive responses help refine understanding
4. Hints: Progressive hints support learning without giving answers
5. Explanation: Comprehensive explanations confirm learning
6. Adaptation: Difficulty adjusts to maintain optimal challenge

Project Structure

brain-brew/
├── src/
│   ├── components/          # React components
│   │   ├── Landing.tsx      # Landing page
│   │   ├── Login.tsx        # Authentication
│   │   ├── SignUp.tsx       # User registration
│   │   ├── PDFUpload.tsx    # File upload interface
│   │   ├── LearningInterface.tsx  # Main learning UI
│   │   ├── Dashboard.tsx    # User dashboard
│   │   └── Layout.tsx       # App layout wrapper
│   ├── services/            # Backend integrations
│   │   ├── auth.ts          # Authentication service
│   │   ├── pdfStorage.ts    # File storage service
│   │   └── gemini.ts        # AI service integration
│   ├── contexts/            # React contexts
│   │   └── AuthContext.tsx  # Auth state management
│   ├── lib/                 # Configuration
│   │   └── supabase.ts      # Supabase client
│   └── App.tsx              # Main application
├── SUPABASE_SETUP.md        # Database setup guide
├── brainbrew_overview.pdf   # Project Overview ppt
├── Architecture_daigram.png # Project workings daigram
└── README.md                # This file