Sentry
iOS · Hackathon
My Role
iOS Developer
UI/UX Designer
Technologies
Timeline
Jan 2025 – Mar 2025
Description
Community safety app for Tec de Monterrey students with real-time incident reporting and SOS features.
Context
During a hackathon, my team built a fully functional community security app to ensure the safety of Tec de Monterrey students. This was the first time my team pulled an all-nighter to finish the project in time, and the moment we realized how much we love working together.
The Problem
Security should not be a matter of luck.
Currently, there is no fast, community-driven way to request help or receive real-time safety alerts in Mexico. Students walk through cities that rank among the most dangerous in the world with nothing more than a group chat and hope.
By the numbers
- 7 out of the 10 cities with the highest violence rates worldwide are located in Mexico
- In 2024, an average of 70 murders per day, totaling 26,715 homicides in the year
- No unified, community-driven platform exists to request help or report incidents in real time
The Solution
A comprehensive personal and community safety application built for Tec de Monterrey students, giving them the tools to report, react, and stay connected with the people they trust.
- Request help quickly with a single tap, even when you cannot speak
- Report incidents and receive real-time alerts from your community
- Share your live location with emergency contacts at all times
Constraints
We had roughly 36 hours to go from zero to a fully working iOS application. The team was three people, each wearing multiple hats across design, Swift development, and Firebase integration. Every feature had to be demonstrable at judging time, with no slides and no prototypes.
Key Features
Incident Reporting
MapKit with custom report zones lets students mark accidents, dangerous areas, and safe corridors in real time, so the whole community benefits from what one person sees.
Safe Circle & Notifications
Real-time location sharing with Core Location keeps your trusted contacts informed. Push notifications fire instantly when someone in your circle triggers an alert or enters a flagged zone.
Safe Circle notifications: instant alerts when someone in your circle needs help
SOS Button
The most critical feature we built. When triggered and not dismissed correctly, Sentry starts flashing, plays an alarm, notifies your entire circle, and sends your exact coordinates to the nearest campus security personnel.
Tech Stack
SwiftUI · MapKit · Core Location · Firebase · SwiftData
Takeaway & Reflection
Winning the regional iOS Hack MTY and advancing to the national round confirmed that the problem we chose to solve resonated beyond our own campus. The all-nighter was brutal, and worth every minute.
If I could go back, I would have started with the SOS flow first. It was our strongest feature and the one that surprised judges the most, but we left it until last, which added unnecessary pressure. The lesson: lead with the thing that matters most.