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Igatha is an open-source SOS signaling and recovery app designed for war zones and disaster areas, enabling offline emergency communication when traditional networks fail.
With disaster detection, Igatha will now run in the background, monitoring your device's sensors.When a potential disaster is detected, you'll receive an "Are you okay?" notification:
If you respond with "Need help" or don't respond in 2 minutes, it will automatically broadcast an SOS.
If you respond with "I'm okay", it will ignore the event.
Helping others (recovery mode)
If you're safe and want to help others:
Open Igatha.
Ensure bluetooth is enabled (on Android 11 or lower, also enable Location).
Check "People seeking help".
Move towards locations where displayed distances decrease.
Listen carefully for audible sirens.
How Igatha works
Bluetooth low energy (BLE)
Igatha uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to:
Broadcast SOS signals.
Scan for nearby SOS broadcasts.
Estimate approximate distance to the signal source based on signal strength.
No internet or GPS is required, preventing signal jamming or manipulation.
SOS signal composition
The SOS signal combines:
BLE advertisement: broadcasts a pseudonymized identifier.
Audible siren: generated via device speakers to help responders locate you.
Responders can toggle additional signals, like flashlight or vibration, remotely. (planned feature)
Disaster detection sensors
Igatha detects disasters using device sensors:
Accelerometer: measures sudden motion changes.
Gyroscope: detect orientation and rotation shifts.
Disaster detection triggers when multiple sensors simultaneously detect abrupt changes.
Location permissions are required for "Disaster Detection".
Battery usage
Igatha minimizes battery use by leveraging BLE and optimized sensor monitoring.
The app can continuously broadcast for extended periods during emergencies.
Limitations
Early stage
This is a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) with significant room for improvement
Testing has been limited to controlled environments
While not guaranteed to work in all scenarios, it provides a potential lifeline where no alternatives exist
Signal range
BLE range: typically 10-30 meters indoors, further outdoors, limited by rubble and building materials.
Optional extensions: Third-party BLE receivers can extend range significantly.
Why open source?
Igatha is open-sourced for:
Transparency: In crisis situations, people need to trust the tools they use. Open source allows anyone to verify the app's security and privacy measures.
Accessibility: Making the code freely available ensures the technology can be used, studied, and adapted by anyone who needs it.
Community Impact: War and disaster response tools should be community resources, not commercial products. Open sourcing enables collaborative improvement and adaptation for different crisis scenarios.
Contributing
Contributions are vital for improving Igatha:
Testing and bug reports
Documentation
Translations
Feature enhancements
Code optimization
Security reviews
Distribution
To contribute, open an issue or submit a pull request.
Privacy & security
Completely offline; no data collection or internet connectivity.
Uses pseudonymized identifiers for privacy.
Contact
For questions, suggestions, or feedback, please open an issue in the repository.
About
Offline SOS signaling and recovery app for wars and disasters (iOS & Android) — like a digital flare-gun.