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International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 185 – No. 49, December 2023
24
The Development of Mobile-based Search and Discovery
Application for Missing Persons
Diana Novita Wulandari
Yogyakarta University of Technology
Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Muhammad Fachrie
Yogyakarta University of Technology
Yogyakarta, Indonesia
ABSTRACT
A person is considered missing when they leave their home or
place of residence without anyone knowing exactly where they
are. Generally, families who experience a loss will publish
photos of the missing person on several social networks, such
as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, or make a direct
announcement. These announcements are often posted in
unsuitable locations, such as walls or electricity poles, which,
in the end, can damage the visual appearance of the
surroundings. On social media, this method is considered less
effective because it will be covered by other posts, and
announcements posted over time will disappear due to weather
factors such as rain and wind. Based on the problems that have
been described, the author proposes a solution using
information and wireless technology in the form of a mobile
application created using the Java programming language in the
Android Studio IDE development environment and utilizing
the Firebase database. This application is used to search for
information as a special application that contains information
about search and discovery of missing person so that
information dissemination is more effective and efficient.
General Terms
Android Studio, Java, Firebase.
Keywords
Mobile-based application, Search, Discovery, Missing Persons,
Information Systems.
1. INTRODUCTION
Missing-person cases are a very common occurrence in society.
In particular, children, elderly people with dementia,
depression, and people with mental disorders are consistently
missing [1]. A person is considered 'missing' when there is no
information to confirm their whereabouts, so it is unknown
whether the person is still alive or dead. The person who
became 'missing' was previously known to be alive, but
currently there is no certainty about his living condition by his
family or those closest to him [2].
Searches and investigative efforts are often carried out to find
missing people and determine their fate. Police and rescue
agencies are often involved in search efforts, while family and
friends usually play a role in providing information and support
during the search process. It is important to act quickly when
someone is thought to be missing, as time can be a key factor
in finding them safely.
There are frequent cases of missing people. Usually, relatives
who experience a loss only upload photos of the missing person
to social media sites such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and
Facebook or make announcements manually. The
announcement is posted in inappropriate places, such as walls
and electricity poles, which can be an eyesore. On social media,
this method is considered less effective because it will be
covered by other posts, and announcements posted over time
will disappear due to weather factors such as rain and wind.
These efforts could be a solution, but they are less efficient
because there is no special information service center to find
people who have disappeared.
In the development of communication tools, the very important
role of mobile technology, such as cell phones, in disseminating
information, both for business and personal purposes, is
increasingly greater. Easy access to information, anytime and
anywhere, is increasingly becoming a priority. Currently, cell
phones have become something common and familiar to most
people [3].
This research aims to build a mobile-based search and
discovery missing persons application as the main source of
information that contains missing information in the form of
missing people. It is hoped that this application can help the
public find information about searching for and discovering
missing persons so that information dissemination is more
effective and efficient.
2. RELATED WORK
In research conducted by Noelannah Neubauer, Christine
Daum, Antonio Miguel-Cruz, and Lili Liu with the title Mobile
Alert app to engage community volunteers to help locate
missing persons with dementia, which discusses a notification
system that broadcasts information about missing persons with
dementia or mental disabilities, The method used is to involve
community members such as neighbors and shop owners
(Community ASAP) who can complement efforts and rescue
efforts by becoming 'extra eyes' for people who are reported
missing. Volunteers will usually choose their home and work
addresses as specific locations. Volunteers are members of the
public who are willing to 'watch' for missing people; they are
instructed to report seeing someone matching the description of
someone reported missing. Community volunteers receive
alerts based on geographic preferences [4].
Ahtasham Ansari, Aditya Singh, Abhishek Sagar, and Komal
have conducted other research entitled Android-based
Application: Missing Person. This research discusses the
missing person complaint application. With this application,
government officials and local communities can try to find
missing people in their area. This project uses the face
recognition method in its application. Facial recognition works
by storing facial coordinates in a two-dimensional array and
then matching these points with the facial points of the person
being searched. If at least 70–75 percent of the points match,
then it is declared a matched face. This is a process that uses an
Android phone to upload images into the application; the
results obtained are based on facial recognition. The author
uses the Dlib library and Python face recognition to compare
the faces of stored faces and found faces. This system ensures
70–80 percent results based on facial comparisons of missing
persons [5].
International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 185 – No. 49, December 2023
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3. RESEARCH METHODS
Figure 1 shows how the research process was carried out.
Figure 1 Research Process
The following is an explanation of Figure 1:
3.1 Identify the Problem
Through analysis of the current system, the author identifies
problems, which can be seen in Figure 2.
Figure 2 Current System Flow
Figure 2 illustrates the current running system. Individuals
facing a loss will share photos of missing persons on social
media platforms or make direct (manually) announcements.
Those who find missing individuals post updates on social
media and report them to the police. Announcements are often
placed in inappropriate locations, such as walls and electric
poles, disrupting the surrounding view. On social media, this
method is considered suboptimal as it may be overshadowed
by other posts, and announcements physically posted over time
may disappear due to exposure to weather conditions like rain
and wind.
3.2 Data Collection Procedures
Data collection is the process conducted to gather information
that will be used in this research, and the data is obtained
through the following methods:
3.2.1 Observation
Observation refers to the technique or method of observing
actual and normal conditions. Generally, observation involves
direct and detailed observation of an object to obtain accurate
information related to that object.
3.2.2 Literature Review
The literature review method allows the collection of
information from various sources, such as reference books,
journals, articles, websites, and literature related to the research
topic. These sources aim to support the resolution of issues
identified during the research.
3.2.3 Documentation
The documentation process is a method of data collection that
involves obtaining various documents, including reports and
other documents obtained from social media platforms such as
WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as
announcements related to the search for and discovery of
missing persons. This documentation is carried out to ensure
that the implementation of activities in the research aligns with
the desired expectations.
Figure 3 Data Example
Figure 3 is an example of data sourced from the internet. This
data includes information that needs to be entered into the
Search and Discovery application for missing persons,
including name, characteristics (age, gender, height, etc.),
additional information, and family contact.
3.3 System Analysis
Figure 4 is a system architecture that describes how the system
works.
Figure 4 Architecture Diagram
Figure 4 illustrates that users who have lost their relatives and
those who have found missing persons can make
announcements through the application, which specifically
contains information related to the search and discovery of
missing persons. In this system, users need to create an account
and log in first, then make announcements by entering the
personal data of the missing person into the application, which
is stored in a database connected by an API (Application
Programming Interface). Subsequently, the application can
display a list of missing persons, and a list of discovered
missing persons can appear on the application.
3.3.1 Use Case Diagram
Use case diagrams are the first step in the system modeling
process. This diagram is a model representation for
understanding the functional requirements of the system, where
each use case is illustrated as the core of a scenario carried out
by the parties involved (actors), within the system boundaries,
and connected using line notation [6].
International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 185 – No. 49, December 2023
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Figure 5 Use Case Diagram
Figure 5 is a use-case diagram that shows user activities
regarding the application. Users are required to register first to
use the application, after that, they can access the application
by viewing the list of missing people searched and the list of
missing people found. Users can make uploads related to
searching and discovering missing people, then update or edit
uploads that have been uploaded and delete uploads that have
been made.
3.3.2 Squence Diagram
Squence diagrams show how objects interact in a use case by
explaining the level of object activity and communication
messages sent and received between these objects [7].
Figure 6 Squnce Diagram SignUp & Login
Figure 6 shows that users must register before using the
application. The data required to create an account is: name,
email, password, occupation, address, phone number, and
Facebook account (optional). After the account is successfully
registered, the user can log in using their email and password.
Figure 7 Upload Missing Person Search
Figure 7 asks people who have experienced the loss of family
or relatives to upload data regarding the missing person. The
data required is name, physical characteristics, gender, mental
condition, age, photo, and so on. If the upload is successful, the
public, as searchers for missing persons, can see the upload as
an announcement. Successfully created uploads can be updated
and deleted by the user.
Figure 8 Upload Missing Person Discovery
Figure 8 asks people who find missing people to upload data
regarding the missing people they find. The data required is
name, physical characteristics, gender, mental condition, age,
photo, and so on. If the upload is successful, the public, as
searchers for missing persons, can see the upload as an
announcement. Successfully created uploads can be updated
and deleted by the user.
3.3.3 Activity Diagram
Activity diagrams are visual images that visualize the sequence
of processes or activities that occur in a software system [7].
International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 185 – No. 49, December 2023
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Figure 9 Activity Diagram SignUp
Figure 9 explains the working stages of an application. For
further use of the application, people are required to create an
account or register to be able to enter the application.
Figure 10 Activity Diagram Login
Figure 10 shows that users can log in using the email and
password they created when registering. If the email and
password are correct, the user will be directed to the main page,
which displays missing person announcements.
Figure 11 Activity Diagram View Announcements
Figure 11 shows the process of viewing missing person
announcements, where searchers or missing person searchers
must log in first to be able to see the announcement.
Figure 12 Activity Diagram Makes an Announcement
Figure 12 shows the process of creating announcements that
will be displayed on the application. The activity begins when
the searcher or discoverer of the missing person clicks on the
megaphone icon in the application, and then the system
responds by displaying the missing person data form. The
searcher or discoverer inputs data on the form and uploads it to
the system so that missing person data will be displayed on the
main page, which contains a list of announcements.
International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 185 – No. 49, December 2023
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Figure 13 Activity Diagram: Edit
Figure 13 shows the process of editing an upload or
announcement if there are errors in the data that has been
previously entered.
Figure 14 Activity diagram: Delete
Figure 14 shows the process for deleting an upload or
announcement.
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Assumptions
This application aims to assist the public in making
announcements about missing persons. Users can easily create
search announcements for missing persons and notify others
about the discovery of missing persons through this
application. The app allows the public to actively participate in
search efforts and helps reunite missing persons with their
families.
4.2 Hypotesis
Based on the assumptions that have been obtained, the
proposed hypothesis is “The Development of Mobile-Based
Search and Discovery Application for Missing Persons.
4.3 Run an Experiment
In the development of the application, the author utilized
Android Studio, an Integrated Development Environment
(IDE) specifically designed for creating mobile applications
that operate on the Android operating system [8]. The
application development process involves the use of the Java
programming language, and the user interface or layout is
created using XML.
4.4 Implementation
The implementation of the system that has been planned and
completed is coded in the form of a mobile device. The
following is the application design.
Figure 15 Register and Login
Figure 15 is a display for registering and logging into an
account. Searchers and the discovery of missing persons are
required to register in order to log in and access the application.
International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 185 – No. 49, December 2023
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Figure 16 Home Page
Figure 16 is a home page that contains the announcement of the
missing person made by the search and discovery of the
missing person.
Figure 17 Announcement Creation Page
Figure 17 is a page to create or upload announcements to the
application, which will later be displayed on the home page.
The data needed in making announcements are photo, names,
characteristics in the form of physical characteristics,
psychiatric conditions (depression, dementia, or mental
disorders), age, or an estimated age. Then there is added
information in the form of last clothing before loss, the time
and location of the person who was lost or found, or other
information.
Figure 18 Profile Page
Figure 18 is a page to read user information that has been
registered in the application.
Figure 19 The Announcement Editing Page
Figure 19 shows the announcement editing process. By
clicking on one of the announcements, you will be directed to
the details page, clicking three dots in the top right corner,
select "Edit" then display the Edit page to update the data on
the database and display the latest data on the home page and
detail page.
Figure 20 Page for Deleting Announcements
International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 185 – No. 49, December 2023
30
Figure 20 shows the result of deleting an announcement. By
clicking on one of the announcements, you will be directed to
the details page, clicking three dots in the top right corner, and
selecting 'Delete' to remove the data from the database and the
homepage.
4.5 Structure of Database
Firebase Database is a nonSQL database storage service that
allows storage of various types of data, such as strings, longs,
and booleans. Data in the database Firebase is stored in the
form of a JSON tree object structure, which is different from
the SQL database, which relies on tables or lines. This non-
SQL database does not adopt a table or row format [9].
Figure 21 Missing Persons Search Database
Figure 22 Missing Persons Discovery Database
Figure 23 User Profile Database
Figures 21, 22, and 23 show the data that has been input into
the application, which is then stored in the Firebase database.
4.6 Application Testing
Testing of the Search and Discovery Missing Persons
application is carried out using black box testing. Black box
testing is a type of software testing that is focused on its
functionality. The main purpose of black box testing is to detect
functions that are not running correctly, errors in the interface,
problems with data structures, performance problems, and
errors in the initialization and termination processes [10].
Table 1 Black Box Testing Results
Page
Testing
Test
Scenarios
Expected
Results
Results
Registratio
n Page
Click the
text "Create
Displays the
registration
form
Succee
d
New
Account"
Press the
"Create
New
Account"
button
Kembali ke
halaman login
Succee
d
The
“Successful
Register” toast
appears
Succee
d
Registration
Data is added to
the database
Succee
d
Login Page
Fill in
Email and
Password
Log in to the
application
with the
registered
email and
password
Succee
d
Press the
"Login"
button
Displays the
Home page
Succee
d
Displays the
“Logged in
Successfully”
toast
Succee
d
Home Page
Click the
home icon
Displays search
and discovery
announcements
for missing
persons from
the database
Succee
d
Missing
Persons
Upload
Page
Click the
megaphone
icon
Displays the
missing person
data form
Succee
d
Click the
add photo
icon
Add photos
from camera
and gallery
Succee
d
Click the
"Publish
Announce
ment"
button
Add data to
database and
home page
Succee
d
Returns the home
page
Succee
d
Edit and
Delete
Uploads
Click
"Edit"
Displays the
profile edit
page
Succee
d
Edit forms and
change photos
Succee
d
Updating data
on the database
and home page
Succee
d
Press the
"Publish
Announce
ment"
button
Returns to the
home page and
displays the
updated data
and the data in
the database
has been
updated
Succee
d
International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 185 – No. 49, December 2023
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Click
“Delete”
Delete data on
database and
home page
Succee
d
Profile
Page
Click the
profile icon
Displays the
profile page
Succee
d
Displays user
data from the
database
Succee
d
Press the
"Logout"
button
Log out of the
account and
display the
Login page
Succee
d
Based on Table 1, the results of testing the application system
using the black box method show that the application operates
as expected, carrying out the functionality as desired.
5. CONCLUSION
The author has successfully developed a mobile-based search
and discovery application system for missing persons, which
can be utilized by the community to create announcements
regarding missing persons. The announcements can involve
both the search and discovery of missing persons, enabling the
public to use the application as a dedicated source of
information.
When users make announcements, they include as much
information as possible. This information can include a name,
physical characteristics, age, and mental condition, as well as
the location and time of the missing or found person. There is
also contact information such as an email and telephone
number to contact the searcher and discoverer of missing
people, making it easy to be contacted by other users related to
the announcement.
This application has user-friendly features, making it easier for
people to use. For further development, you can incorporate
additional features such as splash screens, notifications,
location pins, and verification for the search and discovery of
missing persons once they have been found. These features aim
to enhance the application's functionality, maximizing the
system with necessary features according to users' needs.
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IJCATM : www.ijcaonline.org
