Smart QR Doorbell
Heita
The app leverages WebRTC, an open-source technology that enables real-time communication between web browsers and mobile applications. WebRTC provides a range of APIs, including the media stream, data channel, and peer-to-peer networking APIs, to facilitate audio and video calls and exchange data in real-time. The use of peer-to-peer networking ensures low-latency communication by reducing the need for data to travel through a centralised server.
Problem
In today’s world, people often find themselves in a situation where they visit someone’s house, but there’s no clear way to call the homeowner without having to find their phone number or ringing the doorbell. Traditional doorbells are outdated and sometimes inconvenient, especially when the homeowner is not around. Therefore, there’s a need for a modern, easy-to-use solution that allows guests to call the homeowner with a simple scan.
Our app aims to solve this problem by providing a unique QR code to each homeowner, which they can place near their door. When a guest arrives, all they need to do is scan the QR code using their smartphone, and it will automatically initiate a call to the homeowner’s phone. With this app, homeowners can be reachable to their guests anytime and anywhere, providing a convenient and hassle-free experience for everyone.
Key Requirements
QR Code Generation: The app should allow homeowners to generate a unique QR code that they can print and place near their doorbell.
QR Code Scanning: The app should have a QR code scanner that allows guests to easily scan the code and initiate a call to the homeowner.
Call Initiation: The app should be able to initiate a call to the homeowner’s phone number when the QR code is scanned.
Phone Number Verification: The app should require homeowners to verify their phone number before they can generate a QR code to ensure that guests can reach them.
User Management: The app should allow homeowners to manage their account, including updating their phone number and generating new QR codes.
Guest Experience: The app should provide a simple and intuitive experience for guests, ensuring that they can call the homeowner with minimal effort.
Security: The app should provide adequate security measures to protect user data, including phone numbers and call logs.
Compatibility: The app should be compatible with both iOS and Android devices to ensure that guests can use it regardless of their device.
User Feedback: The app should allow users to provide feedback on their experience and report any issues they encounter.
Performance: The app should be optimised for performance, ensuring that it loads quickly and runs smoothly on all devices.
Solution
The app offers a modern solution for guests to call the homeowner using a unique QR code. Homeowners can generate a QR code by registering their phone number and customizing the code. Guests can scan the QR code to initiate a call to the homeowner, who will be reached through their registered phone number. The app provides a simple and intuitive experience for guests while ensuring end-to-end encryption and data privacy. It is compatible with both iOS and Android devices, and users can submit feedback and report issues. Our app provides a convenient, modern, and secure way for guests to call the homeowner anytime.
Results
The app leverages WebRTC, an open-source technology that enables real-time communication between web browsers and mobile applications. WebRTC provides a range of APIs, including the media stream, data channel, and peer-to-peer networking APIs, to facilitate audio and video calls and exchange data in real-time. The use of peer-to-peer networking ensures low-latency communication by reducing the need for data to travel through a centralised server.
In addition, our app is built on Firebase, a cloud-based platform that offers a suite of tools and services for mobile and web application development. The Firebase Realtime Database, which uses a NoSQL data structure, provides real-time synchronisation of data between the app and the server, enabling instant updates for guests and homeowners. Firebase Authentication, which uses industry-standard protocols such as OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect, provides secure authentication and authorization for users.
Our app is designed with security in mind, and it ensures end-to-end encryption and data privacy for user data and call logs. We achieve this through a combination of secure protocols such as SSL/TLS and the use of Firebase Security Rules to limit access to data.
Overall, our app provides a robust, reliable, and secure solution for guests to call homeowners using a unique QR code, powered by WebRTC and Firebase technologies.
Architecture
AWS Services Used
Amazon EC2: To host the email services
Technology
