Social Distancing Mobile App

One of the proven ways to curtail the spread of COVID-19 is social distancing. Governments wordwide have imposed lockdowns in which citizens must stay at home and only essential travel is permitted. However, this proves difficult for many people and it is as difficult if not more for law enforcement agencies to enforce this. 

We propose a mobile app to enforce social distancing. This app shall be downloaded and installed on every mobile phone in use. The law enforcement agencies shall take the help of cellular providers to make sure of this. This app will regularly maintain a social distancing score for the mobile user and alert a central server managed by authorities if this score exceeds a certain threshold or if the user is not adhering to social distancing norms. Those who violate the guidelines will be counselled, and if they still fail to comply, action can be taken.

COVID-19 is the new pandemic. This is a very serious virus spreading quickly through all countries which may cause illness in animals or humans. People get COVID-19 by breathing in the virus, or by contaminated surfaces. Millions have been adversely effected by the disease or its socio-economic consequences. 20% of cases become seriously ill. They can develop difficulty in breathing. Today, the total confirmed cases worldwide are 7.15M and there are 408,000 confirmed deaths.

When an infected person coughs, or sneezes, droplets are produced. These droplets can be inhaled by someone in close contact. Or, these droplets can fall on surfaces and survive for many days. Without realizing, someone may touch an infected surface and then touch ones face, thus getting the virus in their body.

 Social distancing is one of the best measures to prevent the spread of the disease since the disease is highly infectious. Lockdown is meant to prevent the spread of Covid-19 infection from one person to another. It is meant to protect everyone in the community. Lockdown means not stepping out of the house except for buying essential articles, minimizing the number of trips, and ensuring that only one healthy family member makes the trips.

Our solution is a mobile app which can be used by authorities to make sure that each and every person in possession of a mobile phone is adhering to the rules of social distancing. The app gets a new GPS feed every 30 min and uses it to calculate the distance of the current location of the phone to the home location (which has to be set initially). The app also recalculates a social distancing score which starts at 100 every 30 min. If the new GPS coordinate detected is greater than a particular threshold away from the home location, the social distancing score is decreased by 10. If the score falls below a certain threshold, an alert email is sent to the authorities.  The score shall go back to 100 every 2 months or so. Also, if the app is uninstalled by the user, an alert shall go to the authorities who can then take action. The score is also updated on social media of the phone owner. The prototype is made in Android. The final solution shall have both an Android as well as iOS app (both coded in React Native) and the backend shall be in Node.js.

The solution is meant to serve each and every person globally who is in possession of a mobile phone. The solution will make sure that they adhere to social distancing norms for fear of being found out by authorities and fined heavily or blacklisted. They can even receive warnings when their social distancing score is close to approaching the minimum limit. Our Android app has been tested by multiple users in our office. The feedback is that it is user friendly and will definitely be a deterrent to exploiting the social distancing rules. It will also give them some structure in the novel and confusing world of social distancing.

The challenge is health security and pandemics. The problem is the pandemic of COVID-19 and its exponential spread. This can be prevented by social distancing, which needs technology solutions. Disadvantaged communities need support in order to follow guidelines. Our technology innovation will ensure social distancing, identify those who violate guidelines so that remedial steps can be taken. This can slow the spread of the emerging outbreak of COVID-19. Our solution focusses on preventative measures, and thus is closely aligned to the challenge.

Our solution is a mobile app that shall be installed by each and every person possessing a mobile phone in the event of a pandemic such as COVID-19. This app shall maintain a social distancing score for the user based on GPS feeds taken every 30 min. The score shall change based on the feeds and if it falls below a certain threshold, an alert shall be sent to the server. Posts will also be made to the user’s social media accounts. This is an effective way for the authorities to make sure that people are adhering to the lockdown rules imposed by them and are maintaining a social distance.

There have been several apps developed by people for containing the spread of covid, however this approach is novel and has not been done before. A few competitors like CovidWatch app and TraceTogether app are used to find out if someone has come in contact with an infected person. Problems with these apps are that it requires the authorities or the infected people themselves to feed into the app that they are positive, which can be a cumbersome task. Our app in comparison can easily be implemented on the ground.

Our solution is a mobile application which is connected to a server on the backend. The prototype is developed using Android operating system and node.js for the backend. We have currently done an initial pilot with 35 employees in our head office. The final version of the app shall be developed for both Android and iOS operating systems using React Native and the server will be in node.js.

The mobile phone is pervasive in today’s day and age in every sector of society. Leaving your house without your phone is almost unheard of and is an inconvenience. Hence, we do not need to worry about people leaving their phone at home and then going out or switching off their phone, since that itself shall be a deterrent to them going out. This the solution shall effectively improve social distancing in the community.

Our solution will have a far reaching impact in curbing the COVID-19 pandemic, as it will promote and ensure social distancing, one of the most effective method of preventing the spread of the contagion.

If a mobile user’s social distancing score falls below a certain threshold, an alert shall be sent to the server and thus the appropriate authorities shall be informed. The authorities can then take action by giving counselling to the person on why it is important to maintain a social distance in these times and also impose remedial measures or even penalties if required. We expect the combined effect of the counselling and  remedial measuresshall deter people from making the same mistake again. Warnings can also be sent to people when their score is approaching the threshold. Also, the app shall post on social media of the user and this shall also be a social deterrent for the user to not continually flout the rules of the lockdown.

The activities are the downloading and installation of the app on every mobile phone. This shall be mandated by the government. Outputs are the number of people who have downloaded and installed the app as well as the lesser number of people flouting social distancing rules. Outcomes are the % less of people who are getting covid. There has been a lot of research done that proves the effectiveness of social distancing. For example, in this lancet journal article - quarantine, school closure, and workplace distancing were implemented and it was highly effective compared with the baseline scenario of no interventions.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30190-0/fulltext

We are currently serving all our office staff of 35 employees. The next step is to procure funding for the complete technology development and roll out of the app. In the next year we hope that we shall give the app to several millions of people in India, in collaboration with the government.

Simultaneously we need to get the app adopted by the appropriate authorities so that it can be implemented worldwide. We need the help of the MIT Solve network for this to happen. We also have high level contacts and supporters so we shall ask for their help as well in doing so. In 5 years, we expect several millions in every country to be using this app.

Within the next year we plan to complete the technology development of the app for all mobile operating systems. We then plan to get it adopted by the authorities such as governments as a national tool for ensuring social distancing. We need the help of the MIT Solve network for this to happen. We also have high level contacts and supporters so we shall ask for their help as well in doing so.

Our solution will transform the lives of millions by protecting them from COVID-19. We need to get the app adopted by the appropriate authorities including the governments, WHO, the World bank among others, so that it can be implemented worldwide. We need the help of the MIT Solve network for this to happen. We also have high level contacts and supporters so we shall ask for their help as well in doing so. In 5 years, we expect several millions in every country to be using this app.

The only barrier that exists to accomplish our goals is that it might prove difficult to get the funding required to scale. We shall mitigate this barrier by adoption of our solution by the authorities like governments, WHO, the World Bank  and others, which will ensure sustainable replication. For this we shall need our high level contacts and the help of the MIT Solve network. 

Widespread dissemination of this app is key in overcoming this barrier and in getting the authorities to adopt our solution so that it can be implemented worldwide or in a few countries at least. We shall disseminate widely through presenting the app in conferences and also by making the app open source.

We shall work towards adoption of our solution by the authorities like governments, WHO, the World Bank  and others, which will ensure sustainable replication. For this we shall need our high level contacts and the help of the MIT Solve network. 

We have a team of 5 technology people and 4 people in advisory and management capacity who have been working on the solution. They are all working full time.

We are well positioned to deliver this position because of many reasons. We have a highly qualified team and describe below. We serve 12 million people in 4 countries, we have close ties with governments and with disadvantaged people. In Cambodia we serve 25% of the population. We have extensively developed and used technology for health since 2009.

We have the following people in our team.

Dr. Shelly Batra (Co-Founder and President)- She is 2014’s Social Entrepreneur of the year, awarded by the World Economic Forum and Schwab Foundation, renowned Senior Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Advanced Laparoscopy Surgeon, an Ashoka Changemarker, and a best-selling Penguin author.

Sandeep Ahuja (Co-Founder and CEO) - Sandeep is a management and strategy expert. Before starting Operation ASHA, Sandeep was a member of the Indian Revenue Services (1991 batch).

Sonali Batra (Director Technology)- She has an MS in Comuter Science from Georgiatech Atlanta, and another MS from SUNY Buffalo.

Dinesh Saxena (MBA, Deputy CEO)-Mr. Saxena commands the management team and directs staff in implementing policies, recommending budgets, and establishing control systems within each department. 

Dinesh Jha (B Com, Manager Finance)- Dinesh has in-depth knowledge of all statutory compliance areas like Income Tax and FCRA and broad experience in all aspects of accounting, financial management, policy implementation, Human Resource Management and administration.

Technology Team- we have a very smart and hard working technology team having BCA and MCA degrees. They believe in the cause and are motivated to perform their best.

The biggest partner is the government wherever we work. We engage extensively with the government’s Tuberculosis control program on a regular basis. Before starting work in an area we meet with the state TB officer, district TB officer and other officials. We sign an MOU that entitles us to free medicines, diagnostics and free services and also a government grant.

We engage deeply with local communities wherever we work. We hire and train local people and give them jobs. We leverage the trust of community leaders. We carry out education and awareness camps in disadvantaged areas. Our health workers carry out intensive counselling of patients, families and the community to ensure good treatment, kind and loving care and avoidance of stigma. We partner with local NGOs in Afghanistan, Zambia and Tanzania.

We have an extensive donor base with people from different walks of life. Our institutional donors (foundations, companies, bilateral and multilateral) belong to India, US, Europe and Australia. We provide them with regular reports, monthly mails and invite them for site visits of our work in India and Cambodia. We have partnered with the World Bank, World Economic Forum, Catalyst 2030, and leading Ivy league and other univesrties for research.

We have a US board which meets every quarter and once a year one of the two co -founders organizes and attends an in-person board meeting.

We shall provide the social distancing app as a free download to each and every person in possession of a mobile phone. The authorities shall mandate that each of them downloads and installs the app. If anyone were to uninstall it, they shall be alerted and they can then take appropriate action. This app makes sure that a person is adhering to social distancing norms by using GPS coordinates. In case a person is found to be delinquent, an alert is sent to the authorities who can then take appropriate actions like counselling and imposing a fine. This app is needed to ensure that people adhere to social distancing norms in the time of a pandemic and thus remain safe, healthy and alive. Those beneficiaries who are conscious of the need for social distancing shall want this app since it curtails movement by others hence keeping themselves safe. To others it can provide structure to the confusing world of social distancing and curb their movement, and hence keep them and their families safe.

Our business model is that of providing a high SROI (Social Return on Investment). This will provide great value to the governments and international agencies who shall promote and adopt the app.

So far our current financing strategy for its work on Tuberculosis has many elements that ensure sustainability.  First is working in close collaboration with the Government’s National TB Program (both in India and Cambodia). This ensures medicines and access to diagnostic facilities and physicians, all for free. This takes care of 57% of our total cost. We also get a cash grant, which in the past, came 2 years after establishing work in any city. This would be an additional 17%. Substantial support from the Government provides great leverage. Donors bring in the balance (43% for first 2 years and 26% thereafter.

 This financial model, where the governments support ensures sustainability, will be a powerful way to bring sustainability to the new app that we propose.

 Institutional donors (foundations, companies, bilateral and multilateral) belong to India, US, Europe and Australia. Individual donors are distributed all over the world, as far as Korea. Most of this funding pays for one-time expenses, technology development and expansion to new areas. We plan to employ a similar model for our COVID work as well. We have an extensive donor base with people from different walks of life. We provide them with regular reports, monthly mails and invite them for site visits of our work in India and Cambodia. Our aim is to get the technology solution adapted by governments, as then there will be no need for additional funding to sustain operations.

We are applying to Solve because if our solution is selected in this challenge, it shall give us the visibility and recognition that we need in order to get the solution adopted by governments of various countries. The Solve network can also be of much help in this regard. Also, the prize money will be used to develop a fully-fledged solution that is ready for a pilot and then for roll-out
worldwide. The Solve partnership will bring in its wake credibility and
partnerships with academicians, NGOs, governments, and other Solvers, all of which are needed to replicate our solution. 

We need technology partners who can help us develop a fully-fledged solution that can be rolled out at a large scale. We need help with getting governments to recognize and adopt this solution, hence we need help in dissemination of the solution or marketing, media and exposure. Lastly, we need funding for product/service distribution and all the above.

We would like to partner the MIT faculty so that we have a knowledge partner and also a research partner who will be given all the data for publication. We would also like to partner with governments, NGOs and international agencies such as the World Bank, WHO and the World Economic Forum to widely disseminated open source technology.

We also need partnerships with agencies who can help us develop a strong business model, provide legal advice, and facilitate media exposure