Project Overview

SafeScore was developed during a college hackathon as an innovative solution to address women's safety concerns. The Android application provides real-time safety monitoring based on location and time, offering features to prevent abuse and automatically alert authorities and emergency contacts in dangerous situations.

Key Features

• Real-Time Safety Monitoring - Mobile platform that dynamically assesses and tracks safety metrics for women using location and temporal data
• Location-Based Alerts - Automatic safety scoring based on current location and time of day
• Emergency Response - Automated emergency reporting to police and emergency contacts
• Background Protection - Advanced background features designed to prevent app abuse and ensure continuous monitoring
• Hackathon Project - Rapid development during college hackathon focusing on user safety and privacy

Technical Implementation

Android Development

Native Android Application

Built with Android SDK and Java:

• Android Studio: Native Android development environment
• Java: Primary programming language
• Material Design: Modern Android UI guidelines
• Background Services: Long-running background monitoring

Core features:

• Location Services: GPS and network-based location tracking
• Permissions: Appropriate permission handling
• Notifications: Alert notifications for users
• Background Tasks: Continuous monitoring even when app is closed

Safety Algorithm

Location-Based Safety Scoring

Intelligent safety assessment:

• Location Analysis: Evaluate safety based on current location
• Time-Based Factors: Consider time of day in safety calculations
• Historical Data: Learn from past incident data
• Real-Time Updates: Continuously update safety scores

Safety factors considered:

• Crime statistics in the area
• Time of day (night vs day)
• Crowd density and activity
• Historical incident reports
• User-reported safety data

Emergency Features

Automatic Alert System

Comprehensive emergency response:

• Emergency Detection: Detect potential emergency situations
• Automatic Reporting: Alert police and emergency services
• Contact Notification: Notify pre-configured emergency contacts
• Location Sharing: Share precise location with responders

Emergency triggers:

• Manual panic button activation
• Prolonged stay in unsafe areas
• Sudden changes in movement patterns
• Deviation from expected routes
• Loss of connectivity in unsafe areas

Abuse Prevention

Background Protection Features

Advanced features to prevent misuse:

• Tamper Detection: Detect attempts to disable the app
• Silent Mode: Discrete emergency activation
• Authentication: Secure access to app settings
• Background Running: Ensure app continues monitoring

Security features:

• Prevent unauthorized app closure
• Detect phone tampering
• Silent background operation
• Encrypted data storage

Technologies Used

Mobile Development

• Android SDK: Native Android development
• Java: Primary programming language
• Android Studio: Integrated development environment
• Material Design: UI/UX design system

Android Features

• Location Services: GPS and location tracking
• Background Services: Continuous monitoring
• Notifications: Alert system
• Sensors: Device sensor integration

Data & Storage

• SQLite: Local database
• SharedPreferences: App settings storage
• Encrypted Storage: Secure data storage
• Cloud Sync: Emergency contact backup

APIs & Services

• Google Maps API: Location and mapping
• SMS API: Emergency text messaging
• Phone API: Automatic calling
• Network API: Connectivity monitoring

Hackathon Experience

Rapid Development

Developed under time constraints:

• 24-Hour Hackathon: Built core features in limited time
• Team Collaboration: Worked with 2 co-authors
• Problem Solving: Addressed real-world safety concerns
• Prototype to Demo: Complete working prototype

Hackathon challenges:

• Time constraints for feature development
• Integration of multiple Android APIs
• Testing emergency features safely
• Balancing functionality with battery life

Team Collaboration

Collaborative development:

• Keerthana Ravichandran: UI/UX design and frontend
• Poojaa Krishnaswamy: Backend and algorithm development
• Praveen Thirumurugan: System architecture and integration

Team strengths:

• Diverse skill sets and perspectives
• Rapid prototyping capabilities
• Problem-solving under pressure
• Shared commitment to social impact

Impact & Purpose

Social Impact

Addressing critical safety issues:

• Women's Safety: Focus on real-world safety concerns
• Prevention: Proactive safety monitoring
• Emergency Response: Quick response to incidents
• Awareness: Raising awareness about safety issues

Potential benefits:

• Increased sense of security
• Faster emergency response times
• Deterrent to potential threats
• Community safety data collection

Technical Learning

Educational value:

• Android Development: Hands-on mobile development
• Location Services: GPS and mapping integration
• Background Processing: Long-running tasks
• Emergency Systems: Critical system design
• User Privacy: Balancing features with privacy

Challenges & Solutions

Technical Challenges

Overcame various obstacles:

Battery Optimization

• Challenge: Continuous monitoring drains battery
• Solution: Intelligent polling and battery-aware features

Location Accuracy

• Challenge: Precise location needed for safety scoring
• Solution: Multi-source location with fallback options

Background Reliability

• Challenge: Android kills background processes
• Solution: Foreground service with persistent notification

Data Privacy

• Challenge: Sensitive location data handling
• Solution: Local storage with encryption

Future Enhancements

Planned Features (Archive)

Ideas for improvement:

• Community Features: User-reported safety data
• Route Planning: Suggest safest routes
• Check-In System: Regular safety check-ins
• Group Safety: Features for group travel
• Wearable Integration: Smartwatch support
• ML Predictions: Machine learning for safety prediction

Technical Improvements

Potential enhancements:

• iOS Version: Expand to iOS platform
• Backend Server: Centralized data processing
• Real-Time Tracking: Live location sharing
• Analytics: Safety pattern analysis
• API Integration: Police and emergency services

Project Status

Archived Repository

Current status:

• Archived: Read-only repository as of February 2025
• No Active Development: Project concluded
• Educational Purpose: Available for learning
• Historical Record: Preserved as hackathon project

Repository information:

• No published releases
• No packages published
• Available on GitHub for reference
• MIT/Open source license

Key Learnings

Technical Skills

Skills developed:

• Native Android application development
• Location-based services integration
• Background service management
• Emergency system design
• Team collaboration in hackathons

Product Design

Design insights:

• Balancing features with user experience
• Privacy considerations in location apps
• Emergency system reliability requirements
• Battery life optimization importance
• User trust and safety concerns

Social Responsibility

Understanding impact:

• Technology can address real-world problems
• Safety applications require careful design
• User privacy is paramount
• Emergency features need extensive testing
• Social impact of technology

Hackathon Recognition

Achievement

Project recognition:

• Completed working prototype in 24 hours
• Demonstrated innovative safety features
• Addressed important social issue
• Showcased technical capabilities
• Team collaboration success

Legacy

Educational Value

Continuing impact:

• Example of rapid prototyping
• Demonstration of Android capabilities
• Model for social impact projects
• Team collaboration showcase
• Hackathon project reference

Open Source

Community contribution:

• Available on GitHub
• Source code accessible for learning
• Documentation for reference
• Example for similar projects

SafeScore represents an important early project that combined technical skills with social awareness, demonstrating how technology can be used to address real-world safety concerns. While archived, it serves as a valuable example of rapid development, team collaboration, and socially responsible technology design.