App inventor hits on innovative idea that could help save lives

Mobile Life lead developer Cyprian Kabia during the interview on Monday. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA 

By STELLAR MURUMBA

In Summary

• Incidence where the app can be used include but are not limited to; accidents, crime and fires.
• The application dubbed Mobile Life connects persons in distress with emergency personnel, insurance provider and the next of kin.
• Speedy help will then be provided at a click of the button.

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), is among the leading institutions that has catapulted Kenya’s status to a breeding ground of innovations by acting as a catalyst to some of the best IT creators over the years.

Cyprian Kabia, a student of JKUAT is the latest entrant into this list of innovators through a mobile application that links parties in distress to immediate emergency service providers.

The application dubbed Mobile Life connects persons in distress with emergency personnel, insurance provider and the next of kin. Speedy help will then be provided at a click of the button.

Mr Kabai jointly developed the app with other team members who include George Kosgei (innovator), Achim Ejalan (co-developer), Givinalis Omachar (designer) and Mr Kabia, lead developer.

Incidence where the app can be used include but are not limited to; accidents, crime and fires, says the 23- year-old.

“Mobile Life is advised by the struggling emergency response services in Kenya and the app offers solutions to saving lives and assets,” he told Business Daily. “By adding convenience to an already easy user interface, significant reduction in response time will realise a safer, comfortable, efficient and certainly a more psychologically social society.”

Mr Kabia says that in the case of road accidents and medical situations, the user or care giver should tap the ambulance button on the application’s user interface on the smartphone. If, for instance you witness a crime like house robberies or carjacking, tap on the police button and on the fire fighters button in the case of house or office fires.

In order to use the application, which will be available for purchase on online platforms like the google play store come January, consumers are required to fill in their personal information that will in turn be of help for immediate emergency response.

Once the application is installed on one’s mobile phone or desktop, you will be prompted to enter details like your identification number, full names, residence and phone number. Your next of kin information will also be needed for priority persons to be contacted in case of emergency.

Insurance information is of importance to provide emergency personnel with vital information which enables swift and clinical service delivery, he said.

The app’s lead developer says that Mobile Life is simply an innovative way to emergency response.

For safety purposes, the app developers of the mobile application which also has a desktop version, affirm that they adhere to strict data confidentiality practices. Mobile Life works with GPS configurations on one’s phone to identify their location, which is in turn relayed to the relevant response personnel.

The app has also been fitted with a timer to determine the response time taken by, for instance, an ambulance to get to the location, from the time when an alert is sent out, he says.

“As the user is waiting for emergency response, they are given tips for every situation. For instance, one is given police tips in case of a break in.

For example you can be asked to cooperate with the robbers to avoid agitating them and causing yourself harm. In case of accidents, one is also advised to locate the first aid box and provide needed assistance before the emergency personnel arrive,” says Mr Kabia

Emergency hotlines are also provided for the person in distress to call. They include security numbers, medical, tow trucks and fire fighters numbers.

To offer something unique to its users, Mr Kabia said the copyrighted and patented mobile application has a photo sensitive quick response code (PQR) feature that car owners can print and stick on their vehicles’ fuel tank covers, once generated.

In case of an accident and the victim is not able to use his phone, then the immediate good Samaritan, who has the application downloaded on their phone can scan the code using a mobile gadget and information will be sent directly to an emergency personnel for help to be administered.

“The fuel tank cover is usually the least damaged area in case of an emergency and through proper awareness, we envision that over half of mobile users in Kenya will have Mobile Life as a life saver app on their phones.

“Our PQR codes are uniquely produced for identification if personal belongings such as phones and wallets otherwise used to identify victims go missing during an accident,” said Mr Kabia.

Insurance

He added that the technology minimises time and resources as well as contact next of kin.

To achieve this, Mr Kabia said they are looking forward to partner with the national and county governments, as well as insurance companies to foster the innovation and help save thousands of lives.

Thedy also plan to partner with emergency response teams like the Red Cross, St John’s Ambulance and mobile service providers like the telecoms giant Safaricomfor a wider reach.

“We have already approached Kiambu County and AON insurance company and they are warming up to the idea. In January, we will be meeting with the Machakos County governor who is open minded,” he said.

Time has been of essence in the creation of the Mobile Life more than money investment, Mr Kabia disclosed.

“We have been working on this app since January and it was only up to November that we finished and launched it. We have rented server space from Sasa Host, where we pay Sh3,500 per year of internet connection. Without discipline and dedicating our limited time, since we are students, we could not have made Mobile Life a reality,” said Mr Kabia.

smurumba@ke.nationmedia.com