Make America Safe Again

A Crowd-sourced security software that provides protective eyes on everything from the border to store shrink.

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Inspiration

Make America Safe Again (MASA) is based off of the idea that anyone, anywhere, can help protect our neighbors. The idea was initially conceived as a solution for border control but ended a fully fleshed-out and economic innovation.

When we say anyone can do their part we mean anyone. Former soldiers, doctors; even the disabled can help bolster security around the country. The idea is simple:

What it does

Our software allows people to watch secured streams from the comfort of their own homes. The users log onto their account and are provided with instant access to several streams. While viewing the feed, users can interact with others via a chat system, or report any crimes they witness. The more active users on a stream, the better the reliability of tips.

We've built a virtual wall; one whose usefulness extends far beyond border security. We can also provide:

  • job creation
  • loss prevention
  • stalker apprehension
  • users watching bodies of water to prevent drowning (condo commando style)
  • any security needs via viewers and users

Users would be validated via a background check and a rating system. The rating system falls into the hands of the admin of a collection of streams (i.e. head of security, police dispatch, ect). Admins can then rate the reports based on the effectiveness of the tip. If the tip leads to an arrest or apprehension, the user would even receive a reward; Incentivising people to "stand guard". However, multiple thumbs down in a row would lead to a permanent ban.

We expect that this system could put a yuge dent in crime and increase response times. MASA would impact shoplifting, drug deals, street crime, border control, and almost anything one could point a camera at. AI is clearly not to the point of detecting crime, so we decided to put the power back in the hands of the people.

How we built it

MASA is built on standard web technologies with a lateral spin. By combining the importance of asset protection with the reach of an avant-garde social platform, we aim to break the proverbial mold.

We used classic DOM website structure with inclusion of Angular.js, node.js, socket.io, SQL Server, and AWS services.

Challenges we ran into

This project really beat our team into the ground. It seemed as though angular.js and node.js were fighting us every step of the way. And the system for storing and handling the users was tricky as well. The biggest issue we faced, by far, was nailing down a single-page structure, while keeping our node connections and angular code intact. We collectively agreed it was the biggest time sink.

The hassle was well worth it in the end however, as we wound up with nifty solutions to each of our problems. Our team definitely learned and gained a lot though this platform.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Honestly there were a lot of reasons for us to pat ourselves on the back. The transition from c9.io to an AWS server was extremely smooth; as was the level of flexibility of our team. Everyone brought highly useful skills into the project, and MASA was all the better for it.

What we learned

We learned an actual dumptruck's worth of information on implementing streams and voting systems. Plus working with an angular-based chat was completely new for us as well. The most important (and difficult) lesson was working in an active-page web structure.

What's next for Make America Safe Again

This project has massive potential to cause a stir in the security market. Both from commercial and economic aspects. Not even to mention that this product would serve all parties best from a global stage. However, that goal is a distant point in the future.

For now, we suppose all that we can do next is Make America Safe Again.

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