ProximAid

An application that helps nearby devices to communicate directly using Wi-Fi direct technology. Every user can simply use it to talk to people that are in the same area. The app has 2 modes. The normal mode that enables close devices to communicate instantly and the emergency mode. The emergency mode forwards messages from device to device using a specific algorithm and achieves messages to travel as far as possible. This mode can be used in cases where telecommunication infrastructure is destroyed from natural disasters like earthquakes, flooding, tsunami or man-made disasters such as fire and people need a way to ask for help. It forms an ad-hoc like network that is used to forward the messages. In addition the algorithm tries to save phones’ battery by selecting what devices receive what messages and when a device will receive a message.

This project is being developed with collaboration of KIOS research center at the University of Cyprus.