What exactly does it do?

Resk.us is a platform designed to connect individuals in need with resources and support through a community-driven, data-centric approach. The app has three core sections: Maps, Shelters, and Profile, each playing a critical role in making resources accessible and ensuring transparency.

Maps: The map functionality is central to Resk.us. Users can view real-time data on regions that need aid, categorized by urgency—urgent aid, medium aid, and low aid. The interactive map helps individuals find the safest routes to reach shelters or resources, even calculating these routes for users. The app uses high-resolution weather and climate data to provide additional contextual safety information for individuals in transit, ensuring that they avoid hazardous areas. This feature directly supports community safety and maximizes resource utilization.

Shelters: This section lists all the nearby shelters, providing details such as the address, current occupancy, and specific needs. Shelters are tagged by the urgency of aid required, allowing users to contribute in the most impactful way. Each shelter's page includes contact information and options to call, donate, or navigate directly to the shelter. Users can see the specific items that a shelter needs, such as food, hygiene items, clothes, and medication. This approach fosters targeted donations and efficient distribution, minimizing waste and ensuring that communities receive exactly what they need.

Profile: The profile section is tailored to each user, showing personal statistics such as total donations and the number of shelters supported. It includes options to manage personal information, recent donations, payments, and notifications. The Profile also acknowledges users' contributions, with badges such as "Gold Donor," which incentivizes continued participation. This personalized experience empowers users and encourages continued engagement, fostering a sense of community and purpose.

How does it work?

The journey of our ideal customer profile, a community-focused individual who wants to make a difference, unfolds in a few intuitive steps through the app:

Onboarding and Exploration: Upon downloading the Resk.us app, users are welcomed with a warm and inviting message that highlights the mission: "United by hope, connecting resources and saving lives. Together, we rebuild tomorrow." They can either log in immediately or explore as a guest. This allows new users to get familiar with the platform before committing, lowering the entry barrier for new community members.
Navigating the Map: The user can start exploring through the interactive map, which displays regions with different levels of aid requirements—marked as urgent, medium, or low aid. The user selects a region of interest or uses the search function to find shelters nearby. Safety is a priority, and the map provides users with the safest route to shelters, calculated in real time. This is particularly important for vulnerable individuals looking for secure paths in times of need.
Connecting with Shelters: After identifying a shelter on the map, users can navigate to the "Shelters" section for more detailed information. They will see a list of shelters, along with their needs and occupancy status. The user can choose to provide support by calling the shelter, donating specific items, or even physically visiting the location. Each shelter displays its current needs—such as food, hygiene items, and medication—ensuring users can make targeted contributions that address the most urgent requirements.
Personalized Profile Experience: To foster engagement, users are encouraged to create their profiles. Here, they can track their donations, view recent activities, and manage their information. Badges, such as "Gold Donor," are awarded based on their contributions, which adds a gamified element to the app, motivating users to continue supporting the community. The user journey is designed to create a rewarding experience, with a focus on transparency and impact.
Ongoing Support and Engagement: The user can continue to engage with the platform by receiving notifications about new needs or emergencies in their area, allowing them to respond promptly. They can also revisit the "Shelters" section to donate again or see updated needs. The app connects users to immediate aid opportunities and also builds a sense of community where individuals are empowered to make a tangible difference.

This seamless journey ensures that our ideal customer—a proactive community member eager to help—can effectively and meaningfully contribute to their community while seeing the direct impact of their actions.

What benefits does it have?

Optimized Resource Allocation: By visualizing affected areas and the distribution of resources in real time, the platform ensures that aid is directed to the regions that need it most urgently, minimizing redundancy and inefficiency.

Data-Driven Decision-Making: Decision-makers can base their actions on data rather than assumptions, leading to a more effective response strategy.

Transparency: The platform provides a transparent overview of what aid is available and where it is being sent, fostering trust and accountability among stakeholders and the community.

What do you hope to achieve?

Enhanced Disaster Response: Create a more efficient and effective response system for communities impacted by natural disasters by minimizing delays in resource allocation.

Equitable Distribution of Resources: Ensure that aid reaches the most vulnerable and affected populations without bias or logistical challenges.

Community Empowerment: Allow community members to participate actively in disaster response by providing real-time data, thereby helping them become key stakeholders in their own recovery.

What tools, coding languages, hardware, or software did you use to develop your project?

For the development of the Resk.us project, we utilized a combination of tools, software, and technologies that supported the design, prototyping, and data management processes, ensuring a robust and scalable MVP within the limited time frame of the hackathon:

Frontend: Developed using Vue.JS for building an interactive and responsive user interface.
Backend: Built using Python: to handle API requests and connect various data sources.
Geospatial Librariy: OpenStreetMap were used for the interactive map visualization.
Miro: For brainstorming, collaboration, and planning.
Figma: To create the user interface (UI) design and prototype of the app.
Github: To manage the project's code, version control, and documentation.
Canva: To design visual assets and promotional materials.
ChatGPT: For generating content, brainstorming ideas, and drafting text.
Eleven Labs: For generating voiceovers for app demonstrations and promotional videos.

2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge

Data for Community Change