Four Walter Johnson High School seniors took home the top prize in U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin’s 2021 Congressional App Challenge.
Ainesh Chatterjee, Salamun Nuhin, Botond Parkanyi and Charles Wang created CoronaSafe, a Python-based application that analyzes COVID case data and urban density to create a unique COVID contraction risk calculation for any global address given by the user.
“This team demonstrates the pure tech savvy and true civic responsibility of MD-08 residents,” Raskin wrote in a press release. “I know that Maryland students are prepared to lead us into the future with their scientific entrepreneurship and public spirit.”
The app allows users to understand their contraction risk for COVID-19 based on geographic data, daily activities, travel plans and other circumstances. CoronaSafe employs urban density calculations and can be adapted for use against any virus that spreads through nearness and respiratory transmission, including the flu.
As an example, the students said a traveler could input the address of a coffee shop where they are visiting and learn what time would be better to stop there. Right now the students continue to tweak the app before it becomes available to the public.
Raskin spoke with the four students on his weekly Local Heroes series.
