Inspiration
We were sitting around trying to come up with the stupidest ideas we could and creating a chatting app based on proximity was suggested. Obviously, we laughed uproariously because that is just talking! But the more we thought about it we realized it actually had some practical applications!
What it does
The app is completely anonymous and uses your location data to send and receive messages to and from those in your immediate proximity. Absolutely nothing is stored about any users, and there is no identifying information exchanged at any point. This makes it perfect for asking questions or making statements in environments where there may be barriers to communicating traditionally, like
- Classes / lectures
- Coffee shops
- Libraries
- Traffic (as a passenger)
- Disorganized conferences
- Tourist spots - Due to being a web app it has google translate built in
- Parades
- Sports games
- City centers & malls
- Parks & nature trails
And of course it is just fun to chat anonymously with people around you.
How we built it
We built it as a mobile friendly web app using JavaScript, CSS, and HTML5 for the front end. The back end is a Python Flask server. Location tracking is done using the JavaScript Geolocation API. And client server interactions are managed with SocketIO.
Challenges we ran into
The most difficult part was the frustrating inconsistency with the Geolocation API. It really struggles inside buildings and when sitting still, and its accuracy can vary wildly. Developing specifically for mobile is something we hadn't done much and we ran into some unique issues there. Certain HTML elements would behave erratically and the Geolocation API seems to have different behavior on mobile as well.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
If you disregard the issues with the Geolocation API nearly everything else with our application is fully functional, making it our most complete hackathon to date! The most impressive part being the front design which is both functional and aesthetically sound, quite the feat for being written in pure html and CSS.
What we learned
This once again reignited our passionate dislike of HTML and CSS. But, outside that we had never created a Python web server before and that is something of a vital skill in this day and age. And developing for a mobile environment was both simpler and more difficult than we expected.
What's next for IRL Proximity Chat
Continued improvements include making it into a fully fledge mobile application with background functionality including push notifications, and expanding the messaging protocol to something more in line with modern RCS.
If this were to gain widespread use it could evolve into a public safety application. Police and other government personnel could be given verified accounts with a larger effective range. With this capability they would be able to provide live updates and instructions to individuals within range of an emergency situation.
This entire idea could be natively included with smart phones as a safety and communications feature and I don't think it would be entirely out of place. As it is entirely opt in it would be non-intrusive and only act as a boon for potential users. But until that day comes we shall provide.
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