AllerScan

AllerScan is a mobile app (with a lightweight web dashboard) that helps people with food and medication allergies quickly spot risks before they buy or consume something. Users create an allergy profile (e.g., peanuts, shellfish, penicillin, lactose, gluten, cross-reactivity notes). In-store, they scan a barcode or take a photo of an ingredients label; at restaurants, they scan a menu photo or paste a menu URL. The app highlights allergens, common hidden names (e.g., casein, whey), and cross-contamination warnings, then outputs a simple risk summary: Safe / Caution / Avoid with the exact triggering text cited. It also stores “safe products” and “avoid lists” and can share a read-only profile card for caregivers. This is a combination traditional + AI app: AI for OCR and ingredient parsing, traditional rules for deterministic allergen matching. It must be clear it’s not medical advice and can be wrong.