The next time you are stepping out late you can keep your loved one informed about your location with a single tap on your phone. Help Me, an Android platform-based mobile application offers two services — I am here : regular updates about the location of the person and I need help : panic messages. The regular updates about the location and the panic messages reach a maximum of five persons listed as parents, family members or guardians by the user.
In view of the increasing number of crimes against women and senior citizens living away from their children, OnMobile, a mobile value-added services company, has created an app that will come in handy to women, parents and senior citizens.
“Parents who wish to keep track of where their kids are can install the app on the phone and keep it turned on to receive updates from their children,” explained Archana Anand, director – information and entertainment services, OnMobile. The app can be customised to change the distress messages it sends to the parents or family members. A senior citizen who requires medical attention can tweak the message such that the app sends out a message calling for medical attention and the like.
I am here service sends frequent location updates every 10 minutes and the message will contain an address which will pinpoint location up to the street level and a link to Google Maps with the location.
I need help button also raises a loud alarm which has no effect of volume or profile of the device. It also sends out SMSes to the selected CUG (Closed User Group) – “Help me. I am in danger”. And the mobile will constantly try to call the number of the first guardian saved on the app. This app can also be customised to send different messages by the users. For eg: the elderly in need of medical attention can change the message to “Need medical attention”.
