TMBR
An Android app my team designed in 2016 to quietly look out for personal safety.
Everyday situations — meeting someone from a dating app, walking through an unfamiliar area, or traveling away from home — can carry a real sense of risk. TMBR was our take on using the technology already in everyone's pocket to reduce that risk without getting in the way.
The app is designed to run quietly in the background and stay out of the user's way. A settings screen gives the user full control before it starts: they can set a home location so the app knows when they've arrived safely, choose how long it should run, and decide what should happen if those conditions aren't met.
Its core job is to reach out for help without the user ever needing to unlock their phone. If they stay out past a curfew they've set, the app automatically texts their designated contacts — something like, “Hello, this is ____'s safety buddy. I've stayed out past my planned time. Check in on me!” — prompting those contacts to call or message and make sure they're okay.
Through this simple SMS system, the app can send a range of alerts: staying out past a set time, not arriving home according to GPS, or a direct signal from the user that they feel uncomfortable and would like company.
While it runs in the background, a small, non-intrusive bubble — similar to Facebook Messenger's — floats in the corner of the screen for quick access. Tapping it opens a menu to send a distress alert, adjust the curfew, lift location restrictions, or send an “I'm safe” message to any contacts who were already notified.
Resources
Collaborators: Edwin Faican, Joelle Robinson, and Ayantu Temesgen
Slide Deck
Write-Up