WiFriends

Project: CN-Lab PS TU Darmstadt (WiSe-2014/15)

Description:

One-Liner: Decentralized Social Networking App using WiFi Direct (An Android App which helps in Socializing with Trusted Friends in Proximity using D2D Communication)

As a part of the research idea, from the Peer-to-Peer Systems Engineering Lab, TU Darmstadt, to estimate the feasibility of latest mobile technology in creating an ad-hoc peer to peer networks, this project involved developing a Decentralized Social Networking application, that uses Wi-Fi P2P API for the overlay creation and it dynamically discovers peers in proximity to exchange profile information in JSON format.

The project considers security as a major aspect of concern in such ad-hoc communication and addresses by data encryption using pre-shared key (AES 256) exchanged securely via Near Field Communication(NFC) during the add friend stage. Material Design UI (Android Lollipop) is also incorporated into the application.

Technologies Tag: Android, Java, SQLite, WifiP2P API, Cryptography, AES 256 Encryption, Spongy Castle API, Git, Material Design UI, Android Lollipop, Android Studio

Key features:

Decentralized and without Internet - using Wi-Fi P2p API of Android
Exchanges only with Trusted Friends - using NFC and local PINs to securely Add Friends to Trust Zone
Collected profiles are stored Locally on user's devices - using SQLite DataHandlers and JSON objects
User can later browse friends Profile - using Profile View UIs
Automatic Content Exchange whenever friends are in Proximity via any D2D Communication Technique(WifiP2P) Network Service Discovery
The app should be Secure - Only friends can exchange Contents - using Encrypted exchange of Profile data AES-256
UI - As Less Interactions as possible - Implementing as foreground Service
UI – Appealing to view profiles

Code Modules:

Module: MAIN
Module: addfriends
Module: castle
Module: datahandlers
Module: profilepage

####Tutor: Leonhard Nobach, M.Sc.

Members:

Hariharan Gandhi (hariharangandhi17@gmail.com)
Harini Gunabalan (harinigunabalan24@gmail.com)

Screenshots:

WiFriends App's Material UI

The Material Design UI and the Add Friends Feature screenshot is shown:

News Feed Before Profile Exchange

The News Feed with the friend's current Status is shown on two friend devices.

Users' Statuses Updated

The users update their status on their respective devices.

News Feed After Profile Exchange

Now the devices come into proximity, connect to each other through WiFi Direct to exchange profiles and the updated statuses are reflected on the friend's devices.