System Requirements Document for Sonic-You

1. Introduction

The "Sonic-You" project aims to develop a structured reference document for eligibility-checking software that extracts and presents current (2026) elderly care benefit rules from official state and federal sources. This document will serve as a guide for government benefits research specialists to ensure accurate and up-to-date information is available for users.

2. System Overview

The Sonic-You project will focus on gathering and structuring data related to elderly care benefits, specifically targeting income and asset limits, home care assistance programs, VA aid and attendance benefits, and everyday savings programs for seniors. The data will be sourced from official government websites such as state Medicaid agencies, HHS, and VA.gov.

3. Functional Requirements as Story Points

• As a Government Benefits Research Specialist, I should be able to search the official state Medicaid agency page for 2026 ABD Medicaid and HCBS waiver programs to extract income and asset limits.
• As a Government Benefits Research Specialist, I should be able to list every state program that pays for in-home caregivers or nurses to prevent nursing home placement.
• As a Government Benefits Research Specialist, I should be able to navigate VA.gov pension pages to extract the current 2026 maximum monthly payout rates for VA Aid & Attendance.
• As a Government Benefits Research Specialist, I should be able to list state-specific programs helping low-income seniors with prescription drugs, utility bills, and property tax relief.

4. User Personas

• Government Benefits Research Specialist: A professional responsible for finding and extracting current elderly care benefit rules from official sources to ensure accurate information is available for eligibility-checking software.

5. Core User Flows

• Research Specialist accesses state Medicaid agency website -> Searches for ABD Medicaid and HCBS waiver programs -> Extracts income and asset limits -> Updates reference document.
• Research Specialist accesses state programs for in-home care -> Lists programs and details -> Updates reference document.
• Research Specialist navigates VA.gov -> Extracts VA Aid & Attendance payout rates -> Updates reference document.
• Research Specialist accesses state-specific savings programs -> Lists programs for prescription drugs, utility bills, and property tax relief -> Updates reference document.

6. Visuals Colors and Theme

[Default — not specified by user]

• primary: #1E90FF (Dodger Blue)
• primary_light: #63B8FF (Light Sky Blue)
• secondary: #FFD700 (Gold)
• accent: #FF4500 (Orange Red)
• highlight: #32CD32 (Lime Green)
• bg: #F5F5F5 (White Smoke)
• surface: #FFFFFF (White)
• text: #000000 (Black)
• text_muted: #696969 (Dim Gray)
• border: #D3D3D3 (Light Gray)

7. Signature Design Concept

The homepage of Sonic-You will feature an interactive "Benefit Pathway" animation. Users can click on different pathways representing various benefits (e.g., Medicaid, VA, Savings Programs) to see detailed information pop up in a dynamic, card-flipping animation. The pathways will be visually represented as a network of interconnected lines and nodes, with each node representing a specific benefit program. The animation will be built using motion/react for smooth transitions and interactions.

Landing Hero Motion Brief

The landing hero will depict a stylized map of the United States with animated lines connecting different states. As users hover over a state, the map zooms in to reveal detailed benefit information for that state. The animation will loop every 10 seconds, showcasing different states and their unique benefits. The map will be interactive, allowing users to click on a state to access more detailed information. The animation will be created using CSS and motion/react for a seamless experience.

8. Interaction Model & Motion Direction

• Intended Interaction Model: Animated
  • The landing page will feature moderate scroll-triggered reveals and hover transitions, with spring physics on interactive elements to provide a polished and engaging user experience.

9. Non-Functional Requirements

• The system must ensure data accuracy by verifying all figures with official sources.
• The system must be able to handle updates to benefit rules and figures as they become available.

10. Tech Stack

• Frontend: React for Web
• Backend: Python, FastAPI
• Database: MySQL or MariaDB, use alembic for migrations
• AI Models: GPT 5.4 for user-friendly response
• AI Tools: Litellm for LLM Routing, Langchain
• Local Orchestration: Docker, docker-compose
• Server-side Orchestration: Kubernetes

11. Assumptions and Constraints

• It is assumed that all necessary data will be available from official government sources.
• The system is constrained to use only verified data from official sources to ensure accuracy and reliability.

12. Glossary

• ABD Medicaid: Aged, Blind, and Disabled Medicaid
• HCBS: Home and Community-Based Services
• VA: Veterans Affairs
• ADL: Activities of Daily Living

This document outlines the requirements and design for the Sonic-You project, ensuring a comprehensive and user-friendly experience for government benefits research specialists.