Machine Learning in Android Applications

Abstract

This project is motivated by the ever-increasing popularity of machine learning techniques for solving repetitive everyday tasks, as well as the availability and importance of smartphones in today’s society. The combination of the two creates an environment in which the use of machine learning for simplifying mundane tasks in mobile applications may be experimented with. This project is a study in the use of machine learning in the context of such a mobile application, and specifically uses the Firebase ML Kit mobile SDK in that pursuit. The project includes the development of an application that allows users to generate descriptions of electronic devices they wish to post for sale on online marketplaces. The application utilizes machine learning and natural language generation to present the user with a textual description of the image submitted to the application. This project gives an overview of central machine learning principles, and goes into detail about the concepts relevant to solving the problem in question, namely classification, and neural networks. It also describes the process of implementing the application and how Firebase ML Kit provides machine learning capabilities, as well as how SimpleNLG provides natural language generation functionality to the application. The project further reflects on the application created and the use of ML Kit therein.