Students develop emergency app
Sep 12, 2017
The app has a panic button, which when tapped, sends an instant message to three people
Karuhanga demonstrating how the app works
INNOVATION|SECURTY
Students from the faculty of science and technology at Victoria University have developed a mobile application to enable users to alert friends and service providers when faced with an emergency.
The Nisaidie app was developed by a group of seven students including John Paul Olinga, Peter Isiko, Paddy Kabanda, Kevin Karuhanga, Vanessa Nakasendwa, Daniel Labwe and Matthew Okema.
Olinga says they were inspired to embark on the project after coming to finding out that emergency service operators are not connected by a central service."
"Our goal is to make a contribution that positively impacts society. This app will reduce crime rate, enhance security awareness and allow flexibility among service providers," Olinga explains.
How the app works
Isiko, one of the group members explains that when the user has the app uploaded on his or her phone, he or she can alert people when in troubling moments such as robbery, accidents and fire outbreaks.
"The app has a panic button, which when tapped, sends an instant message to three people you will have saved to always receive your emergency notifications," Isiko explains.
It's after the first message, that a user can text or forward an audio specifying his or her current situation/ predicament. The application also enables a friend or service provider to track your location using the Geo-location feature. When offline, information can be delivered through texting or making a call.
Timely intervention
The app may be seen as a timely intervention going by the recent spate of insecurity in the country, notably the murders of women in Entebbe and Nansana municipality, the attacks by unknown goons on civilians in Masaka and the robberies in different parts of the country.
The Police deputy spokesperson, Polly Namaye, welcomed the idea: "We are in total control of the security situation in the country, but anything that improves our work is welcome, we are ready to work to with the innovators," she said.