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Main screen detailing authorized users, location data, and protection settings
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Adding authorized users
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Login screen
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Warning email
Inspiration
Inspired by the rise and proliferation of facial recognition technology, we decided to take the increasingly important and nuanced matter of security into our own hands. Swiper No Swiping provides users with the peace of mind of knowing their devices and data will always be safe whether they are around curious hands or in large crowds. Our logo of the hedgehog mirrors the tale of the hedgehog and the fox, both in the comedic sense - as the popular character in Dora Explorer was a fox named Swiper - and in a metaphorical sense - as the fox represents the versatility of big data and the hedgehog represents the strength and resilience of security.
What it does
Swiper No Swiping uses AWS Rekognition and multiple AWS Services to lock the device when an unauthorized face is using it. The faces of close ones can be added to the accepted list and the feature can be toggled on and off to provide our users with utmost versatility for their unique needs. Further, if the phone has been stolen and locked, the user will immediately receive an email notification through AWS SNS and will be able to log into our companion website for further support. On the website, users will be able to access their phone's location services to track down the phone and see updated photos taken by the front camera of the potential thief. Not only does this technology protect data and increase the chances of reclaiming a stolen phone, its proliferation will discourage phone theft.
How we built it
Our project represented a unique challenge of having equal importance in web and mobile development - which were integrated through Amazon Web Services. The core of our technology is based upon AWS Rekognition, AWS DynamoDB, AWS S3, AWS Cognito, and AWS SNS which respectively provided us the tools for image recognition, data storage, secure authentication, and detailed notifications, all of which are integral to the product. Then, we used Android Studio, Java, and XML to build the mobile app and connect the user to the tech. As for the website, we used Javascript, HTML, and CSS to develop the content and styling of the website, then used Node.JS to retrieve values from AWS DynamoDB and AWS S3 and connect it with the rest of our project.
Challenges we ran into
From the initial moments of the hackathon, we ran into issues regarding authentication of users, multithreading of 4+ threads, and modification of services to behave as activities. Though one of our members has worked with AWS briefly in the past, this experience still created many puzzling and rewarding moments. As we began web development, further issues ensued as neither of us had experience with back-end. As such, learning Node.JS and using it to serve HTML and CSS and retrieve data from AWS was a very intensive and at times frustrating process. Furthermore, the nature of asynchronous functions resulted in difficulties that caused us to pivot our designs last minute.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
After this very tiring and fulfilling weekend, we are proud of have concluded with a project that consists of both an mobile app and a website, and with a slight disbelief of what complicated issues we have overcome and what simple matters we still do not understand. We're proud to have learned back-end and gained versatility in our respective development skills.
What's next for Swiper No Swiping
To be entirely satisfied of a project made in 36 hours, or to be entirely satisfied of a project at all, is an unlikely occurrence. We hope to expand the capabilities of Swiper No Swiping by creating an option that locks certain apps such as photos or messages rather than the entire phone and we plan to leverage AWS's resources to scale the project to bring to more users. Also, we are aware that the website may result in legal issues, so we plan to gain a better understanding potential legal setbacks and restrictions so we can still carry out a product that protects our users. Furthermore, we wish to fine-tune the user-interfaces to be more cohesive with each other and create a more enjoyable experience.
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