The app, which promotes nightlife safety, allows friends to alert and find each other at venues using Bluetooth technology. WYA (AKA Where You At) uses Bluetooth beacons placed 8 meters apart to create a mesh network across the venue. Combining this with microlocation technology will allow friends to find each other even in areas where there is no signal or Wi-Fi.talk Resident Advisor, founder Tamzin Lent, said the idea was inspired by his experience of harassment and assault at a night out. “It’s like Find My Friends on steroids,” she said. If you feel like you can proactively alert them, and in the short term, you want to deal with sexual assault. You won’t be left behind with them.” Lent and her team are now working on “Record of the Night.” This records the timestamp and location of the alert so that it can be reported to the venue or the police. This means venues can make data-driven decisions. “If she gets four warnings at the end of a dark hallway, the venue can respond by putting up lights or having another security guard there,” Lent said. As part of the research process, Lent and her team surveyed 1,100 of her people. Ninety-five percent of her respondents said they felt unsafe in crowded venues. 98% of people said they spent time looking for friends because they were ‘anxious’. And 73% said they would feel more confident if they could find friends more easily. Inspired by this result, Lent began brainstorming her early UI/UX designs. Coincidentally, some friends shared a Facebook post of her being sexually assaulted while out and about. Lauren Levine, who now works for WYA, was one of those friends. “I reached out to her, talked to her about her app, and started building her community,” says her Lent.Levine shared her story RAIn 2019, she was on a night out while living in London as a student. “Someone I was going to be friends with took me home and started having sex with me,” she said. After Levine posted about her experience, 13 more women reached out to share similar stories. “All of us on the WYA team have had close friends who have personally been sexually assaulted or have been sexually assaulted,” she added. When you’re drunk and vulnerable, it’s the hardest time to find a friend, and I hope WYA helps people find each other and get everyone home safely.” The app, Nottingham Trent Already tested at the Student Union and surrounding venues, Rock City, Stealth, Rescue Room and The Level. We are currently testing the technology at several venues in London. E1, XOYO, and Ministry of Sound. Venues in Germany, the US and Malaysia have also expressed interest. London Launch His party is scheduled for Thursday March 16th at E1. Attendees can test the app during DJ sets by Tai Lokun, Secret Luvvr and GEE LEE. There will also be an art exhibition, a panel exhibition and an opening address by Lent. See the event list below for details. Another pilot event is scheduled for his early April at the University of Sheffield. The app will then roll out during freshman week at several colleges. In the meantime, it’s available now on the App Store for testing in various locations. To assist with deployment, WYA has partnered with the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA). Director Silvana Kill said, “I’ve seen firsthand how quickly individuals can become drunk, disoriented, or simply lost.” I believe it is a great solution for the situation.
