Nile | Devpost

User view: register screen
User view: receiver
Deliverer view: initial address
User view: alternate receiver, because Musk not at home
Deliverer view: updated address, because Musk not at home

Inspiration

Postmen often try to deliver packages, but the receiver is not at home. Customers wait for their packages or have to go to a far away post station if they miss the postmen.

What it does

Nile optimizes the delivery process on both sides:

effective delivery for the delivery service, no more unnecessary walks
customer has one portal for all the packages he awaits and is offered a live tracking system, so he can plan accordingly and if he is not at home, he knows beforehand where the package is delivered

How we built it

We created an app for Android. Works for customer and deliverer side. On the customer side we have the registration and a live tracking of the packages in a list and on a map. GPS data is sent automatically to the server on request to determine if the person is at home or not. If the receiver is at home, is is notified that a package is close, if not the best neighbour is selected and the receiver is notified after the package was successfully delivered to the neighbour. On the deliverer side we have a registration and the next address for the current package is shown and the coordinates are marked on a map. The GPS data is sent periodically every 400msec.

Backend with Django. To easily create and connect to the database needed for this project, we setted up a server working with the Django RESTful API. This way the clients can send and request data via HTTP methods. While constantly receiving data for the deliverers we needed the client data only in special cases, there we use Googles Firebase Servers for requesting client informations.

Challenges we ran into

To work our way into new APIs, programming environments and to keep on trying.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We already have a running prototype where a server and an android app work perfectly together. Most of us were inexperienced with android programming, but we built an app from scatch over night, which fulfils our needs. Also we were not used to set up servers and the necessary communication, but we did it. We worked as a team, we surprised ourself with what we created in such a short time when working hard and had fun doing so.

What we learned

Android App programming, Server with Django, using the HERE API, think hard to come up with a great idea that is at the same time practicable

What's next for Nile

white-list of favourites, which get prioritized in the decision process on where to deliver the package if the purchaser is not at home
reward system for people who accept a lot of packages for others and are in a logistical favourable position for the delivery service (e. g. gound floor) in form of delivery vouchers
one address management system with all the afore mentioned features which can be used as address field input for all online shopping platforms
smart home integration: smart home informs delivery service if inhabitant is at home
create user profiles and learn when people are at home and when not, data can be used for advertising campaigns, waterworks to learn peak times and and and