🧠 Synapse

A Cross-Device Real-Time Focus Management System

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📍 Overview

Synapse is an intelligent cross-platform focus management tool designed to reduce digital distractions by syncing focus status across your PC, browser, and phone. Whether you're writing code, studying, or working remotely, Synapse ensures that when you're in focus mode, distractions are blocked everywhere automatically.

💡 Imagine using VS Code on your PC. Synapse ensures WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked on your phone and Reddit/YouTube are blocked on your browser all in real time.

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🔧 Problem Statement

Today’s work and study sessions are constantly disrupted by multi-device distractions — even when we put our PCs in "focus mode", phones and browsers remain open doors to temptation.

❌ Challenge

• PC focus mode doesn't block phone distractions.
• Browser plugins don’t stop mobile app usage.
• Manual app blocking is tedious and often forgotten.

✅ Solution: Synapse

• Centralized focus state synced across all devices.
• Real-time blocking of blacklisted apps/websites.
• Unified dashboard to configure work and distraction lists.

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🧩 Architecture Diagram

+-----------------+       Firebase Realtime DB        +--------------------+
|  💻 Desktop App |  <------------------------------> |  📱 Mobile App       |
|  (Python)       |                                   |  (Flutter Android)  |
+-----------------+                                   +--------------------+
        ↑                                                    ↑
        |                                                    |
        |   +-------------------+              +----------------------+
        |   | 🌐 Chrome Extension|              |  User Phone (Android)|
        |   |  (JavaScript)     |              |  e.g., Instagram     |
        |   +-------------------+              +----------------------+

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🚀 Key Components

Component	Role	Technology
💻 Desktop App	Monitors active apps (e.g., VSCode, Notion). Sets isWorking in Firebase	Python, Tkinter, psutil
📱 Mobile App	Shows overlay on blacklisted apps if isWorking = true	Flutter, Firebase, AccessibilityService
🌐 Chrome Extension	Detects and overlays blocking message on distraction sites	JavaScript, Firebase Web SDK
☁️ Firebase DB	Realtime state sharing across devices	Firebase Realtime DB

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🔄 How Synapse Works

Action	Result
👨‍💻 Starts using Notion / VS Code on PC	Sets isWorking = true in Firebase
📱 Opens Instagram on phone during this time	Phone App shows fullscreen overlay, blocks access
🌐 Opens YouTube/Reddit in browser	Chrome Extension blocks page with a distraction prompt
👋 Closes all work apps on PC	Sets isWorking = false, all blocks lifted

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✅ Core Features

• 📡 Real-time Device Sync via Firebase
• 🧠 Smart Focus Mode Detection
• ❌ Cross-Platform App & Website Blocking
• ⚙️ Editable Whitelist & Blacklist
• 🔐 No Backend Server Needed

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🧪 Technologies Used

Stack	Tools
Python Desktop App	psutil, tkinter, firebase REST API
Flutter Mobile App	Dart, firebase_database, Overlay Permissions
Chrome Extension	Manifest v3, DOM Injection, Firebase JS SDK
Sync Layer	Firebase Realtime Database

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📁 Repositories

Component	Repo
📱 Mobile App	Synapse-Mobile
💻 Desktop App	Synapse-Desktop
🌐 Chrome Extension	Synapse-Extension

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💻 Desktop App Highlights

• Python-based GUI (Tkinter)
• Detects active processes every 5 seconds
• Prompts reason when blacklisted app is opened
• Sends focus state to Firebase

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📱 Mobile App Highlights

• Built in Flutter
• Monitors foreground app via AccessibilityService
• If blacklisted app opened when isWorking = true, shows overlay

Key Permissions:

• 📲 Overlay permission
• 🛡️ Accessibility permission
• 🔗 Firebase config

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🌐 Chrome Extension Highlights

• Injects DOM overlay into distraction sites
• Live blocks sites if Firebase isWorking = true
• Lightweight, instant blocking via content script

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🔮 MVP Demo (Suggested Flow)

1. Start using VS Code on PC → Firebase: isWorking = true
2. Try to open Instagram on phone → Blocked with fullscreen warning
3. Open Reddit on Chrome → Blocked with popup
4. Close VS Code → All devices unblock

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📊 Future Scope

• 📊 Focus session analytics (time saved, apps blocked)
• 🧘‍♂️ Pomodoro + break reminders
• 💪 Auto screen lock if distraction persists
• 🔒 Auto whitelist/blacklist tuning via ML
• 🍎 iOS support
• 💻 Desktop Flutter App for uniform UI/UX

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👥 Contributors

Name	GitHub
Utsav Verma	@Utsavvv1
Aaryan Singh Rathore	@AaryanSingthRathore
Anomitra Bhattacharya	@anomitroid
Aditya Negi	@Aditya11835
Shivansh Kandpal	@Zyphon12342

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🛠️ Installation Summary

🔹 Desktop App:

• Install Python + requirements.txt
• Set Firebase API Key and URL
• Build .exe using PyInstaller
• Run Synapse.exe

🔹 Mobile App:

• Flutter SDK setup
• Firebase Android JSON config
• Grant Accessibility + Overlay permissions

🔹 Chrome Extension:

• Load unpacked extension in Chrome
• Set Firebase config in popup.js

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📜 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.