UpReach

UpReach is a Berlin company that provides a photo-marketing B2B solution. It consists of a unique photo booth and smart software, including image processing software, AR filters, and a cloud application.

Companies typically rent the photosystem for various occasions: exhibitions, marketing events, meetings, etc. The main goal is to provide visitors with a captivating experience by taking and printing thematic customized photos.

UpReach hired Vakoms to extend the functionality of the photo booth software, make the interface more user-friendly, and have the possibility to add new features and install updates.

The existing image processing software for the photo booth was written on the Electron framework that allows the development of desktop applications to use web technologies. It offered basic photo modes and required a lot of manual actions, especially when setting up the device.

The photo booth featured a low-performance computer, and the Electron app wasn’t adjusted to work with the hardware. The software was limiting the speed of image processing and was taking too much time to launch.

So, the obvious decision was to re-write the app with another technology. However, the legacy app performed a crucial function: it allowed the client to create and manage dynamic web forms. For this reason, Electron development could not be abandoned.

UpReach also wanted to add the possibility of supporting other cameras and computers to improve the device in the future. The existing app wasn’t compatible with custom hardware.

Vakoms’ challenge was to find a solution that would not override the existing app but improve the overall functionality and performance of the system.

Collaboration between UpReach and Vakoms started in November 2018, and it still continues. The company brought a legacy code built by its previous software development company from Poland.

The initial scope included the following tasks:

After completing the code review, Vakoms started the UpReach photo app development for the photo booth. The app needed the following changes:

After conducting research, the team decided to use Qt — a C++ framework — to build a separate module, as Vakoms has been working with this technology since 2010. The new software was to manage all tasks related to image processing and provide compatibility with other hardware for future versions of the photo devices. The module also allowed users to interact with the printer and print photos of a custom size.

The Electron app was still performing its functions — creating and managing dynamic web forms. But overall, thanks to choosing C++ / Qt for the automatic image processing software, the UpReach app became faster, making the visitors’ photo experience smoother. It is now possible to add custom backgrounds, including animation or AR filters, without any performance losses.

To allow visitors to get their photos in digital format, Vakoms developed a simple web application. A visitor can take a photo or video, enter an email address or phone number, and get a link to download, share, and/or print images.

Vakoms also added an offline mode, allowing one to store photos locally on the device when there’s no Internet connection. This crucial feature was developed with MongoDB and Node.js.