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SafeMap

SafeMap is an Android app built in Kotlin with a Firebase backend, developed as my final year project for Kingston University. The goal of SafeMap is to improve safety and confidence for people walking at night, especially those who may feel vulnerable or unsafe.

Key Features

  • Streetlight Mapping
    SafeMap pulls real-time locations of streetlights and displays them on the map with custom yellow markers. This helps users easily visualize and follow the safest, best-lit routes.

  • Lighting-Aware Routing Algorithm
    The app uses a unique routing algorithm that prefers routes with more streetlights, so users are guided along paths with better visibility, not just the shortest route.

  • Vibrational Navigation System
    SafeMap includes an innovative haptic navigation feature. As you walk, the app triggers directional vibrations. For example, as you approach a left turn, the phone vibrates from right to left in your pocket, making navigation intuitive even for users who have difficulty distinguishing left from right. This discreet system means you do not need to hold your phone out or rely on voice navigation.

Motivation

This project was motivated by my own experiences as a disabled person feeling unsafe walking alone in public. Through interviews, I learned that many others—including young women, elderly people, and individuals with disabilities—also share this concern, especially at night. This feedback shaped SafeMap’s features, particularly the streetlight-centric routing and the vibrational navigation system.

Many people said they don’t feel comfortable using voice navigation (which requires headphones or plays directions out loud) or holding their phone visibly while walking. SafeMap is designed to offer a safer, more private, and accessible navigation option for everyone.

Development Approach

The project used an Agile methodology, regularly incorporating feedback from stakeholders throughout development. Interviews and real-world user input directly drove feature and design choices.

Planned Future Work

  • Emergency Call Feature: Allow users to quickly contact emergency services or a chosen contact from inside the app.
  • Trip Planning Tools: Help users remember what to bring for their trips and plan safe journeys ahead of time.
  • Expanded Coverage: Add streetlight data from more cities and locations, expanding beyond Kingston.

Technologies Used

  • Platform: Android
  • Language: Kotlin
  • Backend: Firebase

About

Created by Connor Walsh
Final Year Project, Kingston University

Feel free to open an issue or contact me with any questions or suggestions!