The coronavirus pandemic has changed every aspect of life worldwide. With this change, concerning feelings of powerlessness and confinement are spreading. As designers, we have a duty to blunt that spread of concern. inSite provides an opportunity to have transparency amongst convolution, community amongst isolation, and safety amongst fear. Power is put back into the hands of the people as inSite offers a blend of intelligent algorithms, suggestion of safe choices, and support for those who need it most.
inSite is a network of two components, an ultrasonic sensor and an app. These components bring awareness to safety levels when going to stores during quarantined lifestyles by showing the real-time occupancy for stores closest to the user. The ultrasonic sensor, named inForm, is purchased by participating store owners and placed above entryways, keeping an active count of people within a store. This real-time application of information is revolutionary for the public’s safety efforts and store owner’s marketing data compared to previous store analytics. inForm’s store occupancy information is then visualized in our app component, where shoppers are able to search for items they need, like grocery and household essentials, to find which store will be the safest. Color-coded degrees of safety are shown based on the proportional percentage of fire code capacity, which in turn prompts users to have safety at the forefront of their minds.
While inSite is all about safety, we have a responsibility to take care of those around us too. As a secondary function, inSite also gives back locally, nationally, and globally. Small businesses all over our cities, nations, and globe are struggling as mandatory shutdowns leave them in precarious economic situations; that is why we included our Impact section. Users who want to make a difference are able to scan receipts from inSite shopping when they make a safe or local choice, and inSite will match 10% of spendings to donate to small businesses in need. This give-back campaign will be funded through partnering big box stores and donors, so that struggling small businesses can apply for aid that is distributed through the discretion of grants.
InSite brings store owners and shoppers together to have a community of empathy and collective responsibility in this time of uncertainty. Our core mission is to bolster safety and increase the transparency of knowledge for every person, because we are quarantining not for ourselves, but for each other. Let’s shop empowered.