👀 Problem

Rutgers, a large campus with 50,000 people spread across multiple locations faces many challenges in maintaining security. The existing crime alert system often notifies the community hours or even days after an incident, leading to a lack of timely information. This delay can potentially put students and faculty at risk, as illustrated by scenarios like a robbery where delayed alerts leave residents uninformed. The limited resources available for protection and information dissemination further contribute to the problem, making it difficult to ensure a safe environment for everyone on the campus. The goal is to improve safety by introducing a real-time crime reporting app that allows instant alerts, community engagement, and effective response mechanisms.

💭 Proposal

Through the creation of a real-time crime reporting app our goal is to address the shortcomings of the existing crime alert system, which often provides delayed notifications, compromising the safety of students and faculty. The proposed app would empower users, allowing them to instantly report ongoing crimes or suspicious activities, thereby facilitating timely dissemination of information within a 5-mile radius.

Key features of the app include:

Live Reporting (click the triangle to read more):

Community Engagement:

Emergency Services Integration:

Credibility Verification:

Evidence Submission:

We aim to create a more secure environment at Rutgers, where the community is actively involved in reporting and addressing safety concerns in real-time.

<aside> 💡 Click the link below to read more about our problem statement and our proposal:

Problem Statement

</aside>

🛫 Plan

We plan to continuously gather data through interviews and surveys to assess our product's strengths and areas for improvement. This process allows us to adapt the product based on real-time feedback, ensuring it aligns better with user needs. By engaging with users we aim to capture diverse perspectives for a better understanding, guiding us in making informed enhancements that prioritize user satisfaction..

Click the links to see the data we have collected so far**:**

Survey Results:

Survey for app (Responses)

Interview Results:

Interview Data and Responses

Survey and Interview Questions:

Interview and Survey Questions

🚀 It’s go time!

🧠 Brainstorming

Affinity Diagram:

🥽 Prototype

Ideation:

Here are a few ideas that came up during our brainstorming session:

Campus-wide alerts: In addition to the real-time reporting feature, we could implement a system that allows campus-wide alerts for urgent situations, such as an active shooter or a natural disaster. This would ensure that everyone on campus is immediately notified and can take appropriate action.

Integration with existing security systems: We could explore the possibility of integrating the app with existing security systems on campus, such as surveillance cameras or emergency call boxes. This would provide a more comprehensive approach to safety and enhance the effectiveness of the app.

Alerts: We can ask for user permission to send out emails/text messages or send out alarms to users in case of emergencies or important updates.

These are just initial ideas, and we will continue to brainstorm and refine them as we move forward with the development of RUsafe.

This is our final prototype from an overall perspective:

https://www.figma.com/file/kWZ3WMUOmHgq8w7xnDU9LO/RUSafe?type=design&node-id=0%3A1&mode=design&t=ChkIN83hUW40MPS4-1

Here is a video of our prototype:

https://youtu.be/hSmrC8WPbVM