Publication

Abstract : Both urban and rural communities struggle with issues of women’s safety, and solution technology must be developed to meet these needs. The authors of this article discuss the design and development of a fully functional cross-platform mobile app built on React Native and Firebase to provide an SOS signal through one click, GPS Tracking in Real-time, optional recording of sound at user’s request, and a web portal for the company administering the app for oversight over all customers. The app has built-in Security Measures such as a PIN and biometric log in procedures to enhance the user’s ability to log in to their account; provides SMS assistance if the device is unable to connect to a cellular network; and can be programmed to make a fake phone call so that the user may leave the scene without attracting attention from others in the vicinity. Users have 97% success rate of receiving alerts and 3.8 seconds average response time through Firebase Cloud Messaging. With SMS backup the chances of receiving a message while offline are 93%. The GPS accuracy in Urban areas is within 8-12 meters, and the performance of the App in Urban areas and Rural areas is also excellent, regardless of Network conditions. The proposed system provides an answer to many limitations found in existing women’s safety apps by allowing users to access all features utilizing a crossplatform compatible device as opposed to an Apple or Android device; providing a complete set of features and providing a degree of reliability that has been proven through completing the experimental evaluation portion of this study.