(part of MIT Mobile Experience Lab. )

The MIT Mobile Experience Laboratory, in partnership with the Provincia di  Brescia, Italy, has developed a sustainable ride-sharing system for the younger generation that utilizes bracelets, mobile phones and a web infrastructure to create a peer-to-peer trust network that allows the youth use their own resources to take care of each other and communually work on larger social issues.

The main goal of Ride.link, the project’s name, is to strengthen the trust between social groups and institutions and provide the infrastructure for sustainable social practices. With its main components of social networking, reputation management and referrals system, the system facilitates the matching of a group of designated drivers with their friends who need a safe ride back home if they consume alcohol and are unable to drive themselves. By rewarding the participants, both drinkers and drivers, accordingly, the Provincia di  Brescia facilitates an incentive program to continue the youth using the system. As a sustainable practice, the system not only intends to raise awareness on the "driving under the influence of alcohol problem" but also suggests the preventive measures that will allow the youth communally respond to this everyday problem.

First in vivo test has happened in Brescia in December 2008 and January 2009 with 50 bracelets.

Specific Project Role:
Design Lead (concept, interaction design
and product development).

Video:
The Concept
(Quicktime Video)
The Making of Ride.link
(Quicktime Video)

URL(s):
Project Site at MEL