🔵 Concept
Smart Home Updated January 15, 2025

LoL (Labor of Love)

Gamified chore tracking IoT ecosystem that makes housework fun and accountable

Feasibility:
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Excitement:
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Seriousness:
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The Problem

Household chores are boring, often forgotten, and cause relationship friction. There's no easy way to track who does what and ensure fair distribution of housework.

The Story Behind This App

Labor of Love comes from being god awful at house chores. Chore charts don’t work, and gaslighting each other into tasks is not a good love language.

So I thought, hey, I love video games, especially RPGs. Maybe I can also say “hey, I told you so” or maybe get a back massage reward from my wife. So what would this require? Turning your daily chores into a video game?

Maybe sensors for time spent in your laundry room and a small button to check out, with an e-ink dial to pick your name. Maybe an e-ink timer to tap every time you do your dishes. Regardless, the biggest thing is, you can create the ecosystem and do a proof so that your loved ones stay loved ones LOL!!

The name itself is a triple entendre - it’s Labor of Love (the work you do for those you love), it’s LoL (because maintaining humor is crucial in relationships), and it’s about proving you actually did the work. No more arguments about who did what last.

Key Features

1. Smart Chore Detection

What: Cameras and sensors automatically detect completed chores

Why: No manual logging required

2. Gamification System

What: Points, streaks, and achievements for chore completion

Why: Makes mundane tasks engaging

3. Relationship Happiness Meter

What: Tracks chore equity and partner satisfaction

Why: Prevents resentment from building up

4. Time Tracking

What: Logs time spent on each chore automatically

Why: Validates effort and improves estimates

User Journey

  1. 1 User does dishes while camera monitors
  2. 2 System detects completed chore via computer vision
  3. 3 Points awarded based on time and complexity
  4. 4 Partner gets notification of contribution
  5. 5 Weekly report shows chore distribution

Technical Architecture

Frontend

Flutter for cross-platform mobile

Backend

Python FastAPI with ML models

Data

TimescaleDB for time-series chore data

APIs

  • Computer vision APIs
  • IoT device integrations
  • Smart home platforms

Hosting

Local server with cloud backup

Moonshot Features (v2.0)

  • ☐ Chore prediction based on patterns
  • ☐ Automatic chore assignment optimization
  • ☐ Integration with robot vacuums and appliances
  • ☐ Chore marketplace for outsourcing

Market Research

Similar to: OurHome, Chorma, Tody

Different because: Automatic detection via IoT instead of manual entry

Target users: Couples and families wanting chore equity

Open Questions

  • Privacy concerns with home cameras?
  • How to handle chore quality vs just completion?
  • Cost of IoT sensors for full coverage?

Resources & Inspiration

Discussion