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Kopi Kakis
Inspiration
Elderly in Singapore often lead sedentary lifestyles, with many choosing to stay at home or only going out for socializing at nearby kopitiams. As mobility and muscle strength decline with age, this can accelerate health deterioration. To address this, why not provide an incentive for seniors to exercise outdoors while socializing—combining physical activity, mental stimulation, and community engagement?
What it does
Kopi Kakis Walking Club is designed to combat elderly loneliness through a combination of social and physical activities:
Group Walking Sessions: Users can join walking groups by scanning QR codes, enabling spontaneous meetups with peers. Social Features: Maintain a friends list, compete on leaderboards, and track weekly walking streaks to encourage consistent participation. Physical Activity as a Social Catalyst: Walking sessions provide a low-barrier activity that naturally facilitates conversation and connection while promoting physical health.
Real-time Location Sharing: Participants can see each other on a map during walks, enhancing safety and confidence. Safety and Confidence: Real-time location sharing addresses safety concerns, allowing elderly users, even those with mild cognitive or mobility limitations, to venture out confidently.
Check-in System: Earn points for visiting community locations like void decks and active aging hubs. Community Building: Check-ins at local community spaces encourage organic social interaction beyond the app.
Gamification: Points earned can be redeemed for small rewards, keeping users motivated to stay active. Sustained Engagement: Gamification elements such as points, streaks, and leaderboards provide gentle motivation for regular participation, countering the social withdrawal often associated with aging.
Technology choices prioritize accessibility (free mapping services), simplicity (QR code joining), and meaningful connection (group activities over passive digital interactions), making the app an effective tool for reducing social isolation among elderly populations.
How we built it
The app was developed using a modern Android stack:
Kotlin with Android SDK 36 for native Android development
Firebase Suite for backend services (Authentication, Firestore, Realtime Database)
OpenStreetMap (OSMdroid) as a free mapping alternative
ZXing for QR code scanning
Android Jetpack Components (Navigation, LiveData, ViewModel, ViewBinding)
Kotlin Coroutines for asynchronous operations
Google Play Location Services for GPS tracking
Challenges we ran into
Our testing device broke midway, so we relied solely on the Android Studio simulator.
Merging code from multiple developers was challenging; we resolved it by carefully comparing files, maintaining strict naming conventions, and adding detailed comments.
To keep the project budget-friendly, we relied on open-source APIs, which were sometimes less accurate and caused bugs.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Successfully implemented real-time location sharing for group walks.
Built a gamified check-in system that encourages elderly users to explore community spaces.
Enabled QR code-based group joining, making it simple and intuitive for seniors to participate.
What we learned
Collaboration requires clear communication, consistent coding standards, and careful version control.
Designing for elderly users requires prioritizing simplicity, accessibility, and safety.
Open-source tools are valuable but require creative problem-solving to overcome limitations.
What's next for Kopi Kakis Walking Club
Integrate push notifications to remind users about walking sessions and encourage streak maintenance.
Add social messaging within groups to strengthen friendships.
Explore wearable integration for more accurate tracking of steps and heart rate.
Enable a chatbot and feedback system to increase practical usability and real world feedback to cater to elderly users
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