FlashIA

Project Name

FlashIA: An "AI-powered" photo booth withcustom art based filters and integrated with a thermal printer.

Description

FlashIA is an innovative photo booth that offers filters using artificial intelligence. Each image is transformed using an artistic filter, providing users with a unique way to preserve their memories. The key feature of this project is its ability to print memories, reminiscent of instant cameras.

Status

In development — focusing on the startup and business development phase rather than technical progress.

Development Process

Phase: Development

For the competition, we built a fully functional prototype: A hand-assembled circuit on a perforated copper board housed inside a custom 3D-printed enclosure. The system completed the full workflow:

Capture: The ESP32-CAM takes the image.
Transfer: The image is sent over Wi-Fi through a mobile hotspot to a local Stable Diffusion server running on my Dell laptop.
Generation: A local version of Stable Diffusion applies a cubist-style filter inspired by Picasso.
Print: The processed image is instantly printed on a thermal ticket printer.

Despite its handcrafted build, the prototype achieved stable real-time operation, and processing time was impressively low.

Phase: Spin-off 2024

We presented FlashIA at the University of Málaga Spin-Off 2024 program as a minimum viable product (MVP) — an AI-powered Polaroid that merges instant photography with generative art.

Figure 1: Pitch FlashIA2024

Event and Reception

Our two-person team pitched FlashIA live during the Spin-Off event. I was responsible for the technical execution and system integration, while my teammate focused on presentation. The audience was captivated by the idea — a fusion of AI art, tangible output, and maker electronics — but we faced the classic demo effect: the system failed during the live pitch, it took the images but the results weren't impressive, so we lost the wow effect.

Although we didn’t win, the jury gave us valuable technical and market-oriented feedback, suggesting:

Adding color printing and more durable paper.
Providing a preview feature to compare before/after images.
Integrating a battery charging system for true portability.

Aftermath

Post-event, we re-evaluated the concept and returned to our original idea: transforming FlashIA into an AI-powered photo booth instead of a handheld Polaroid. This pivot would simplify the design, improve stability, and open new creative possibilities for installations and events.

The Spin-Off experience was a key milestone — it validated the concept, revealed real-world challenges, and strengthened our motivation to keep merging AI creativity with physical interaction.

Phase: Spin-off 2025

After our first experience in the 2024 edition, we came back — and this time, FlashIA won the Spin-Off 2025 award at the University of Málaga.

We are currently taking part in the Spin-Off training and mentoring program, focusing on:

Business model definition — identifying target users and real use cases.
Market validation — exploring applications in events, creative industries, and education.
Brand development — defining identity, values, and user experience.
Funding opportunities — evaluating support programs and early-stage investment.

Testing & Validation - Results

Figure 2: Collage FlashIA photos results.

Additional Notes

Official Website:

Spin-off:

News: