SOSAide

Inspiration

Emergencies can happen at any time, but finding the right help quickly can be difficult. In Madagascar, access to emergency services and reliable information can be limited.

We wanted to create a simple digital solution that connects a person in danger with trusted contacts and nearby emergency services as quickly as possible.

What it does

SOSAide is an emergency assistance platform designed to simplify the emergency response process.

Users can:

• Trigger an SOS alert.
• Select the type of emergency: medical emergency, accident, assault, fire, or other.
• Describe the emergency situation.
• Automatically share their location using geolocation.
• Identify nearby emergency centers.
• View emergency centers on a map.
• Provide emergency information and location to potential responders.

The platform is designed to eventually connect users with trusted contacts, emergency centers, and intelligent assistance to find the most appropriate help.

How we built it

We built SOSAide as a web application using a simple and accessible architecture.

Frontend

• HTML
• CSS
• JavaScript
• Leaflet for map visualization
• Browser Geolocation API

Backend

• Node.js
• Express.js
• REST API
• CORS

Database

• MySQL
• Users table
• Emergency alerts table
• Emergency centers table

When an SOS is triggered, the application collects the emergency type, description, priority, and GPS coordinates. This information is sent to the backend through a REST API and stored in the MySQL database.

Challenges We Ran Into

One of our biggest challenges was designing an emergency workflow that remains simple and fast when a person is under stress.

We also faced several technical challenges:

• Integrating automatic geolocation.
• Connecting the frontend to the backend API.
• Storing and retrieving emergency alerts using MySQL.
• Managing emergency center information.
• Integrating maps into the platform.
• Managing the SOS modal and user interactions.
• Testing the application in a local environment.
• Building a functional prototype within a limited amount of time.

Another challenge was keeping the first version realistic and achievable while still demonstrating the potential of SOSAide.

Accomplishments That We're Proud Of

We are proud to have developed a functional prototype rather than presenting only an idea.

Our current version includes:

• A functional SOS button.
• Emergency type selection.
• Emergency description.
• Automatic location detection.
• Frontend-backend API communication.
• MySQL database integration.
• Emergency center management.
• Emergency alert storage and retrieval.
• Map integration.
• A Node.js and Express backend.

Most importantly, we created a solid technical foundation that can be expanded into a complete emergency response platform.

What We Learned

Through SOSAide, we learned that building an emergency platform is not only about technology. User experience, simplicity, and speed are equally important.

We learned how to:

• Build a complete frontend, backend, and database architecture.
• Create and consume REST APIs.
• Work with geolocation data.
• Integrate maps into a web application.
• Manage emergency-related data.
• Handle asynchronous operations with JavaScript and Node.js.
• Design simple user flows for critical situations.
• Prioritize essential features when working under time constraints.

We also learned that a good prototype should focus on solving the core problem first before adding more complex features.

What's Next for SOSAide

Our next goal is to transform SOSAide from a local prototype into a more complete emergency assistance platform.

Future improvements include:

• Real-time notifications to emergency contacts.
• Direct calling and messaging.
• Integration with official emergency services.
• AI-assisted emergency classification.
• Automatic recommendation of the most appropriate emergency center.
• Route calculation for victims and rescuers.
• Ambulance and transport recommendations.
• Real-time emergency response tracking.
• Better support for areas with limited internet connectivity.
• Development of a mobile application.
• Expansion to more regions across Madagascar.

Our Vision

SOSAide aims to become a reliable digital bridge between people in danger, their trusted contacts, and emergency services.

Our vision is simple: help people get the right assistance faster when every second matters.

Built With

• HTML
• CSS
• JavaScript
• Node.js
• Express.js
• MySQL
• Leaflet
• Geolocation API
• REST API

Built With

• api
• css
• express.js
• gps
• html
• javascript
• leaflet.js
• mysql
• node.js
• rest