Author Topic: Developing an app to help support isolated people - any interest?  (Read 1209 times)

Marshal

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 228
 Developing an app to help support isolated people

I am writing to you because I’m working on a project to develop a smartphone app to support isolated people; this may apply to some of you, I know it applies to me  ;D
Very simply, the app lets you check in once a day to let the system know you are OK. If you do not check in, the system alerts whoever has been assigned to you via e-mail.
I’m looking for individuals and organisations who might like to trial this app.

If this is of interest to you, e-mail me from here and I'll send you a link to details - don't seem to be able to post links here :(

Many thanks for your time,
Marshal
 

zoony

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 63553
Re: Developing an app to help support isolated people - any interest?
« Reply #1 on: Feb 18, 2019, 02:26:28 PM »
Hi Marshall. I think you need to post more than 12 postings before it'll allow you to post pics or links.
  Sounds like a good idea to me as I live alone, on the other hand I don't have a smart phone, just a phone so would the app be transferable to a desk-top?
"Listen to the wind, it cleans the mind."

"Never use money to measure wealth, son"

                                           cowboy wisdom.

stellamaris

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3256
Re: Developing an app to help support isolated people - any interest?
« Reply #2 on: Feb 18, 2019, 02:37:22 PM »
My question is "who is the person assigned to you".   Is it someone the person knows, relative, friend, neighbour etc?  And would they have to have the app, and also of course regularly access their email?  It sounds a bit like Careline, but perhaps much cheaper.
Keep on chooglin' - John Fogerty
Pronouns: She/Her/Beautiful/Wondrous one/Dearest Heart

Marshal

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 228
Re: Developing an app to help support isolated people - any interest?
« Reply #3 on: Feb 18, 2019, 03:47:01 PM »
would the app be transferable to a desk-top?Absolutely. I found programming the smartphone pretty challenging and kept having to walk away from it. So that I felt I was getting something done, I made it work as a webpage. It's pretty clunky right now, but I'll see if I can resurrect that.  It will also work on an Android tablet.

Marshal

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 228
Re: Developing an app to help support isolated people - any interest?
« Reply #4 on: Feb 18, 2019, 03:52:03 PM »
My question is "who is the person assigned to you".   Is it someone the person knows, relative, friend, neighbour etc?

The user (you) decide who to assign. You give the system their e-mail address and it e-mails them to ask if they agree to be on the notification end of things. If you are an individual (and we all are  ;D ) you just choose family or friends, whoever. I guess that organisations might have official 'listeners' And would they have to have the app, and also of course regularly access their email?
Those on the listening end of the system need e-mail, they don;t need the app. It might also be possible to send texts if it gets enough interest.
Marshal

Traveller

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2626
Re: Developing an app to help support isolated people - any interest?
« Reply #5 on: Feb 18, 2019, 04:41:31 PM »
Are you simply re-inventing the "Snug Safety" app which I think is on the Google App store?
You'll have had your tea.

zoony

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 63553
Re: Developing an app to help support isolated people - any interest?
« Reply #6 on: Feb 18, 2019, 05:06:49 PM »
I hadn't heard of that T but it does seem to be the same. Free too..


Just checked and it's an OIS thing so that lets me out I guess..
"Listen to the wind, it cleans the mind."

"Never use money to measure wealth, son"

                                           cowboy wisdom.

Marshal

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 228
Re: Developing an app to help support isolated people - any interest?
« Reply #7 on: Feb 18, 2019, 06:15:19 PM »
Thanks for this - I'd assumed someone must have done it and had been looking around for it, though, you're right, it seems only to be for IOS. My app is functionally different only in this way: there's no prompt and no particular time you have to sign in - I'm not sure how snug safe works if your phone is off and cannot give the prompt. Mine is also bereft of inspirational messages :)

I understand that Snug Safe has an android version on the way.
I won't drop everything immediately as this is almost up-and-running However, everything I've used so far to develop it has been free so it would be no great loss. Once I get a link here to the website giving detail you'll see I was asking exactly this question  ;D   


Traveller

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2626
Re: Developing an app to help support isolated people - any interest?
« Reply #8 on: Feb 18, 2019, 08:10:41 PM »
Sorry if I seemed to be pouring cold water on what is a good idea, but I was sure I had seen something similar before.  There was also something along the same lines on Dragons Den , although it may have involved movement detection as well.

Personally, I don't have a smart phone, and I don't check email very often.
You'll have had your tea.

Marshal

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 228
Re: Developing an app to help support isolated people - any interest?
« Reply #9 on: Feb 18, 2019, 09:49:21 PM »
Not at all, Traveller, that's just the kind of info I need. There's a lot of apps duplicated - just search for panic buttons :) The main thing about I'm OK is still its simplicity. Once it's going, it will cost less than £100 a year to run to handle tens of thousands of users and has no other agenda. I'm sure, if it got enough take-up, I could persuade some charity to fund that. Another advantage is that it's based on very low-level technology and is unlikely to need any sort of upgrading for years.

I'll try and include the URL of the web page in a text document for anyone interested.