Ride.link (2008) is a sustainable ride-sharing system that utilizes bracelets, mobile phones and a web infrastructure to create a peer-to-peer trust network.
The system, comprised of social networking, reputation management and referral systems makes it possible to coordinate the matching of drivers and passengers with preferences entered online in user profiles. An alcohol sensor is built into a wearable bracelet, which can communicate with the system.
At the end of a night out partying and drinking with friends a Ridelink user can breathe into their breathalyzer bracelet to find out if it is unsafe for them to drive. Using a link to their mobile phone, the system can then help the user find a ride with a driver they trust. The system tracks successful ride shares and provides incentives to participants accordingly. Ridelink not only promotes responsible alcohol consumption, it encourages social sustainability by allowing users to self-organize into their own ride-share pools.
The prototypes were tested Brescia in December 2008 and January 2009 with 50 bracelets.
Ride.link is developed at the MIT Mobile Experience Lab.
Specific Project Role
Design Lead (concept, interaction design and bracelet development).