Outward: three outdoor missions matched by an open model

Outward is a new outdoor mission app released on October 5th, 2026. It offers three simple activities to do outside based on user input. Users choose a location like a neighborhood, park, or doorstep, along with a time frame of 10, 20, or 30 minutes, and the desired type of activity - wandering or staying in one spot. The app then presents a selection of missions that match the user's description using an open model.

The matching model uses a sentence-embedding approach to compare the user's input with a catalog of 22 missions. It selects existing instructions that fit the user's preferences. Users can request a new set of missions without repeating the three currently shown. Pocket mode keeps the three suggested missions visible while allowing access to the full instructions if needed.

After completing a mission, users can record a field note to remember their observations. The design aims to keep the screen a small part of the overall outdoor break. No claims are made regarding any measured benefits of using the app. A demo version is available where users can input their preferences, start pocket mode, and save their field notes after returning from their outdoor activity.

Outward is built using React, TypeScript, and Vite. The model used is Xenova/all-MiniLM-L6-v2, an ONNX distribution of the Sentence Transformers model, which runs through Transformers.js. The model distribution and runtime are licensed under Apache-2.0, while third-party components retain their own licenses. The source code is available on the public repository kudala-bharani/Outward.