With the beginning of the new academic year, we would like to congratulate our last year’s interns on obtaining their bachelor’s degree in International Business from The Hague University of Applied Sciences! Congratulations to Nikki Nuijens, Davey de Goeij and Sam Jansen. It was a pleasure working with you and we are excited to see what your next steps will be.
WomanAid
One of our interns, Sam, wrote her thesis about one of our scale-ups WomanAid. They have developed a mobile app for Android and Apple that helps women feel safer when they are alone. The app is based on the Adaptive System Personal Safety (ASPS) technology and offers different threat response scenarios. For instance, when the SOS button is pressed on the street, the ‘street safety’ scenario is activated. The app triggers a loud siren to disorient the attacker, records surrounding sounds, and sends the user’s location to trusted contacts. In cases of psychological pressure at home or work and the SOS button is activated, the system operates quietly. It records events, collects evidence, and provides a step-by-step self-help plan with the option to reach out to experts, such as lawyers or psychologists, directly through the app.
Thesis
For her thesis, Sam researched whether the different features of the app are according to the GDPR allowed in the Netherlands. She also connected with the target group to see if they would be interested in an app like this. To do so, she did the necessary desk research, organized several focus groups and conducted an online survey. The results were promising and helpful for the WomanAid team. Yes, it is allowed to use an app like this in the Netherlands and yes, the target group is definitely interested, with a few side notes.
Thank you for your great work Sam! And to all students interested in an internship at Frank & the Backs, she says: ‘You have to be able to communicate easily in English and be someone who shows initiative, asks questions and is open to doing things you have never done before. A nice challenge. I learned a lot and also had lots of fun!’
Published – 19/9/24