The Southeastern Relay

App login page

Inspiration

Southeastern Train Crew Communication App HackaBury 2025 | Canterbury Christ Church University

🎯 The Problem Train crew members often face communication gaps during handovers, fault reporting, and service disruptions—especially when Wi-Fi or internet is unavailable. These delays and missed updates can affect safety, efficiency, and the passenger experience.

💡 The Idea Our team proposed an Android app tailored for Southeastern Railway crew members. The goal was to streamline internal reporting and handovers using simple mobile technology, even in low-connectivity environments.

What it does

The Southeastern Relay is a prototype Android app designed to improve communication between train crew members. It includes features for:

Reporting delays and faults

Completing and sharing handover checklists

Logging incidents

Sharing data offline using NFC or Bluetooth when internet is unavailable

Its goal is to make handovers smoother, reduce miscommunication, and ensure essential operational information is shared quickly and securely.

How we built it

We used MIT App Inventor, a visual programming platform that allowed us to:

Build an Android-friendly user interface

Use block-based coding to create logic for checklist forms, fault reporting, and local data saving

Add support for NFC tag writing/reading and basic Bluetooth communication

The app is still in development, but we created a working structure with screens for handovers, fault reports, and delay logs.

Challenges we ran into

Offline communication: Finding reliable ways to transfer data without Wi-Fi was tricky. We explored NFC and Bluetooth as alternatives.

Device limitations: Testing NFC and Bluetooth without having multiple devices was a major limitation.

Time constraints: We had great ideas but limited time to implement all features fully.

New tools: Some of us were using MIT App Inventor for the first time, so there was a learning curve with block programming and components.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Turning a real-world transport issue into a working app prototype

Designing a user-friendly interface for crew members under pressure

Learning how to build mobile apps with MIT App Inventor

Thinking creatively about low-connectivity solutions like NFC handovers

Collaborating smoothly as a team and supporting each other's ideas

🛠️ My Contribution I played an active role in:

Concept development: Brainstorming key pain points in train operations

Feature design: Suggesting modules like:

Delay reporting

Fault submission

Crew handover checklists

Development: Building the app prototype in MIT App Inventor, focusing on:

User-friendly forms

NFC and Bluetooth sharing for offline handovers

Saving reports locally for upload when back online

Although the app is still in development and not yet tested in real-world conditions, it laid the foundation for a practical digital tool in transport operations.

What we learned

This project taught me:

How to apply Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) principles to transport use cases

How to design for offline-first environments

The importance of simplicity and clarity for fast-paced operational roles

Basic mobile development and block-based logic with MIT App Inventor How to design and prototype an Android app

How to think like end-users (train crew) and prioritize their needs

Basics of NFC and Bluetooth communication on mobile

That simplicity and reliability matter more than complexity in operational tools

The importance of planning features around real limitations (no internet, short handovers)

What's next for The Southeastern Relay

Finish and test the app on real Android devices

Improve the layout and logic for each reporting screen

Add data syncing options when online is available (e.g., upload to Excel or Google Sheets)

Get feedback from actual train staff or operations teams

Explore integration with Southeastern’s existing reporting tools or CRM systems

Possibly rebuild the app using Android Studio or Flutter for more flexibility

Built With

Submitted to

Hackabury 2025

Created by

I played a pivotal role in the hackathon by contributing to the design concept and creating wireframes to establish the project’s visual and user experience direction. Additionally, I provided consultation on front-end and back-end architecture, ensuring seamless integration with the database and APIs. My efforts helped bridge design with technical execution, promoting a cohesive and scalable solution.

Rifat Hossain
During the HackaBury Hackathon at Canterbury Christ Church University, I had the opportunity to contribute to developing a prototype Android app for Southeastern Railway. I was involved from the concept stage, helping shape ideas around improving communication and reporting between train crew members. I worked on building the app using MIT App Inventor, focusing on features like fault reporting, crew handover checklists, and NFC/Bluetooth data sharing.

While the app is still a work-in-progress and not fully tested, this experience gave me valuable insight into designing user-centered mobile solutions for real operational challenges in transport.

Maria Negrusa
During the Hackabury Hackathon at Canterbury Christ Church University, I contributed to our team's project by focusing on documenting the app’s features and helping prepare the final presentation. I learned about new concepts like NFC data sharing and mobile app development, and although my coding input was limited, I supported the team by understanding how the different screens and functions needed to connect. This experience also gave me a better understanding of system integration and how different parts of an app work together. It was a great opportunity to develop my skills in communication, teamwork, and learning new technologies.

Amina Hebouche

Updates

Rifat Hossain started this project — May 28, 2025 07:14 AM EDT

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