I’ve accidentally deleted the other topic and can’t seem to update it. It’s my first post here (well… technically second).
Hello,
Over the years, many apps similar to this one have been developed. However, since I was bored over the weekend, I decided to create one myself.
While studying kanji on WaniKani, I often found it frustrating that I couldn’t recall the character for a particular word until I saw it. For example, when asked for the kanji for “cloud,” I might vaguely remember the shape but couldn’t fully recall the character. However, once I see it, I can recognize it perfectly.
I realized that the solution to this issue might be to practice writing kanji more regularly. But I wanted the practice to align with the pace and the subjects I was studying on WaniKani. So, I developed this app.
How It Works:
The app takes the user’s available reviews, filters out the kanji, and, in WaniKani style, displays each character one by one, providing its meanings and readings. The user is then expected to write the character down.
By default, the user’s answer is checked using my CNN model for kanji recognition. In my opinion, this gives the review process a smooth and efficient feel.
Important Notes:
- This app is more of a proof of concept (POC) than a fully polished tool. If some of you find it useful, I might add more features and options. Even if not, I’ll likely keep developing it for personal use.
- The app requires only a basic token for resource requests.
- There’s no backend; all inference is done client-side using the ONNX web runtime. The downside of this is that users must download the model every time they use the app (approximately 30 MB). Keep this in mind if you’re on limited mobile data.
- In the settings, you can adjust the Top Inferred Values Used option to determine how many of the model’s top results are considered when checking your answer. Since the model isn’t perfect, it sometimes recognizes the correct character in the 2nd or 3rd position. I recommend setting this value to 2 or 3, though I personally stick with 1.
- You can also turn off the auto-answer check in the settings.
- When drawing characters, try to use 60–70% of the available space and center your drawings for the best results.
Compatibility:
The app has been tested on desktop Google Chrome and should work well on touch devices (tested with mobile Safari). However, since I didn’t prioritize responsiveness in this POC, the interface might feel a bit awkward on some devices.
I’m open to any kind of feedback or suggestions. Thank you in advance!
Please keep in mind you have to have some available reviews (with kanji) on WaniKani to use the app!
Link to the app
Hope it works to some extent and is not (as) bugged. (^^)