Spotted

Find accessible washrooms. Instantly. Reliably. Stress-free.

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Inspiration

One of the main pillars of the ElleHacks Challenge 2026, Accessibility, pushed us to think critically about how both digital and physical spaces can be made more inclusive. Everyone deserves to navigate the world on an equal playing field, with dignity and their basic needs met.

As young women, we have personally experienced the impact of inadequate public amenities, particularly when it comes to period products and accessible washrooms. We recognize that this challenge extends far beyond our own experiences, affecting people with disabilities, families with young children, and anyone with essential health and hygiene needs. This gap in accessibility and consideration in the creation and maintenance of public spaces is what motivated us to build Spotted.

What it does

Spotted is a map-based platform that allows users to:

  • Find nearby washrooms with accessibility features
  • View detailed washroom ratings and feature checklists verified by others with the same needs/of a similar demographic
  • Filter washrooms based on personal needs, important amenities, and inclusive hygienic spaces
  • Add reviews to verify and improve washroom data
  • Allow users to contribute to community-sourced database of washroom locations

How we built it

Users interact with an interactive map showing washroom locations. Selecting a building reveals a list of washrooms, each with a preview rating. Tapping a washroom opens a detailed view where users can see feature-specific ratings and submit their own reviews, helping verify accuracy over time.

Community Verification System

New washrooms added by users appear as unverified pins. Once 2–3 users submit reviews, the washroom becomes verified and appears as an official location on the map. This ensures data accuracy while remaining community-driven.

Challenges we ran into

  • Designing a fair scoring system that balances urgency and accessibility
  • Structuring flexible washroom data for many different feature types
  • Preventing misinformation while keeping the platform open to contributions

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • Built a scalable washroom support system to aid audiences whose voices often go unheard during the creation and offering of public amenities
    • Implemented a user-generated scoring database
    • Designed a feature-focused, filterable map experience
    • Created a solution centered on dignity and inclusion

What's next for Spotted

  • Our goal is to use the platform to create change, not simply highlight stagnation: Involving local non-profit organizations to help make change at locations which are not accessible to all
  • Real-time navigation and directions showing users their closest washroom using Djikstra's Algorithm and Geocoding; would aid those who are unable to walk great distances, are in a rush, or are unable to navigate the app quickly enough to meet their needs
  • Expansion beyond campus to city-wide use - perhaps even world-wide
  • Washroom cleaning schedule visibility
  • Further our photo-upload feature so that people have visuals - especially useful for those who need accessible entrances
  • More advanced AI scoring using review sentiment
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