1. How does this research project and its activities contribute to school teaching and curriculum needs?

ThisFood Guardian: Smart Ingredient Management SystemThis project integrates with multiple school courses—such as Business Fundamentals, Digital Technology Applications, and Project-Based Learning—allowing us to apply data processing and business concepts in real-world contexts. It has not only strengthened our abilities in AIoT applications, app development, and problem-solving, but also enhanced our sense of social responsibility toward SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), greatly benefiting our learning experience. Moreover, through participation in competitions and the development of project websites, we are able to share the concept of reducing food waste with a wider audience, enabling education to create a greater social impact.

2. How does this research project align with the school, district, or national curriculum guidelines?

This project adopts a cross-disciplinary learning approach, integrating school curricula, district educational objectives, and the national curriculum guidelines (108 Curriculum) with core competencies such as “Information Technology and Media Literacy” and “Ethical Practice and Civic Awareness.” This enables us to apply our knowledge in real-world contexts, strengthen our sense of social responsibility toward household food waste issues, and cultivate the following abilities:

• Self-Directed Learning Ability
• Fundamental Programming Logic (e.g., YOLOv8 Image Recognition, LINE Bot Integration)
• Teamwork and Communication Skills

This learning approach not only enhances the practical value of classroom knowledge, but also lays a strong foundation for future technological applications and business development.

3. What skills did you learn?

Through this project, we not only developed skills in academic research, literature review, and survey analysis, but also cultivated cross-disciplinary practical abilities, including:

• Digital Technology Application：AI Image Recognition Model Training, App Inventor Interface Design, and Cloud Database Integration
• Soft Skills Development：Teamwork, public speaking, project website development, and social engagement skills

4. What teamwork concepts and methods have you practiced or applied?

Through this cross-disciplinary project, we applied a variety of practical teamwork strategies, including:

• Effective Task Division Based on Individual Strengths：Divided into teams such as software development, interface design, and business model analysis
• Establishing Communication Mechanisms：Regular team meetings were held to discuss progress and collaboratively resolve programming debugging issues.
• Democratic Decision-Making and Reflection：The team collaboratively decided on system features and conducted field testing to reflect on the outcomes.

5. How does this research project align with the needs of the school or class?

This project aligns with the school’s emphasis on cross-disciplinary collaboration and hands-on learning, helping us enhance our abilities in interdisciplinary integration, data analysis, and innovative implementation. Our research also supports the school in promotingEnvironmental Sustainability Education，Encouraging more teachers and students to re-examine their household refrigerators and pay attention to issues such as food waste and smart healthy eating, truly applying technology to improve daily life, putting knowledge into practice, and giving back to society.

6. What role does your school play in the local community?

Our school is not only a place for acquiring knowledge, but also a key driver of local digital education, sustainability initiatives, and smart living promotion. Through project-based learning and institutional support, students not only learn from textbooks but also step beyond the classroom to conduct market interviews and engage in community participation. These efforts bring positive impacts to the local community—such as reducing food waste and promoting smart consumption—truly realizing the vision of “starting from school and giving back to society.”

7. What impact has this research project had on you?

This project has had a far greater impact on us than just programming and academic learning—it has allowed us to：

• Identify Problems：Deepened our understanding of food waste issues both globally and in Taiwan, and raised awareness of the serious problem of refrigerators becoming “invisible trash bins.”
• Rational Analysis：Learned to approach food waste issues through data analysis and technological tools—such as system visualization, value proposition design, and SWOT analysis—rather than relying solely on emotional perspectives.
• Practical Development：Developed the ability to build systems and solve real-world problems, while enhancing logical thinking and user experience (UX) design skills.
• Put into Action：Shifted from passive concern to actively developing a practical app and LINE notification system, taking concrete action to help households improve ingredient management.

8. How do local community members contribute to or participate in this research project?

We deeply realized the value of support from the local community and experts, whose contributions helped make our system more aligned with real-world needs:

• Experts and Scholars：Provided technical consultation in AIoT and smart home technologies, helping us evaluate the feasibility of system applications.
• Traditional Market Vendors (e.g., Xingguo Public Retail Market)：Shared frontline experience, helping us understand the practical challenges of cleaning and freshness assessment for unpackaged ingredients.
• Community Residents and Homemakers：Actively participated in surveys and system testing, providing valuable data on refrigerator usage habits and insightful feedback for improvement.
• Teachers and Students：Provided academic guidance and technical support in both hardware and software, including lending development boards and cameras.