It’s a common sight to see people using their mobile phones while doing a whole lot of other stuff, like when they’re shopping or grabbing a drink from the vending machine or buying lunch. While that’s definitely not ideal, at least it hurts a whole lot less when you bump into people or some display at the store instead of what could be bumping into you, if you use your mobile while you cross the street.
Taking that into consideration, researchers from Italy’s University of Bologna and the Smartphone Sensing Group at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire have come together to develop the WalkSafe app that pays attention for you when you can’t.
The app makes use of the phone’s rear-facing camera and image recognition algorithms to warn to the preoccupied user. It can even detect which way the cars are facing in the road and whether or not they’re moving, for instance.
WalkSafe alerts the user of any potential threats through audible or vibrating alerts. I think the app is definitely an innovative one, but really, mobile phone users should be more responsible and not rely on the app to let them know that they’re about to be run over by some delivery truck headed straight towards them.
If you want to give WalkSafe a try, it’s available for free download over on the Android Market now.
