CrimeScope

CrimeScope Chrome Extension Appearance

Inspiration: Crime is a pressing issue in many communities, and we wanted to create a solution that empowers people to stay informed and safe. Inspired by a robbery that happened to one of team members, we built CrimeScope—a Chrome Extension that blends technology with public safety to provide location-based crime insights.

What it does: CrimeScope tracks user location and provides real-time information about nearby crime incidents. Users can view their city, country and can find out more about the recent criminal activity and the criminal activity count. The app uses an ESP32 module with an OLED display to provide a portable and efficient way to view live crime data.

How we built it: We combined several technologies to bring CrimeScope to life:

Frontend: Built using HTML and JavaScript for a clean and interactive user interface(chrome extension). Hardware: Used ESP32 and OLED to display criminal activity, city and criminal count.

Challenges we ran into:

API: We struggled to implement API Hardware Integration: Calibrating the ESP32 with the OLED display and ensuring smooth data flow from APIs required debugging and optimization. Real-Time Updates: Implementing a reliable system to fetch and display real-time crime data while maintaining speed and efficiency.

Accomplishments that we're proud of:

Successfully integrated hardware (ESP32 + OLED) with a real-time web interface. Accurate location tracking and conversion to city and country using the OpenCage API. Built a responsive and user-friendly interface for crime monitoring. Created a portable solution that empowers users to stay aware of their surroundings.

What we learned:

How to interface an ESP32 microcontroller with external APIs and an OLED display. Best practices for real-time geolocation tracking and handling asynchronous API calls. Effective debugging across hardware and software ecosystems. Collaborating across different programming languages and hardware components.

What's next for CrimeScope:

Crime Data Analytics: Implement advanced analytics to visualize crime trends over time. User Reporting: Enable users to report suspicious activities directly through the app. Enhanced Hardware: Improve OLED display efficiency and integrate more sensors for environmental monitoring. Community Features: Allow users to receive crime alerts and collaborate with local law enforcement. Mobile Integration: Build a mobile app to make CrimeScope accessible on the go.