Loop Pulse is a real-time, context-aware city intelligence platform for Chicago. This repository contains the mobile client, built to deliver low-latency AI interactions, real-time data visualizations, and high-fidelity native APIs (haptics, audio streaming).

• Framework: React Native / Expo (SDK 50+)
• Language: TypeScript
• Styling: React Native StyleSheet & Context API for dynamic theming
• Native Modules: expo-av (Audio playback/recording), expo-file-system (Caching), expo-haptics (Tactile feedback)

• Harold (Conversational AI): Siri-style voice and text assistant. Features push-to-talk recording, real-time Markdown rendering, and dynamic source attribution chips.
• Perplexity-Style Maps: Parses AI responses to generate rich, native Google Maps cards using Linking for deep-linking into the native OS map application.
• Signals Dashboard: A high-fidelity "Blueprint" grid utilizing the Animated API for radar pulses, avoiding the overhead and instability of heavy third-party map SDKs.
• Live Transit & CPD Drawer: Real-time integration of CTA Train ETAs and Official Chicago Police Department (CPD) incident data, cleanly segmented from crowdsourced community reports.

• Expo & React Native: Chosen for rapid cross-platform compilation and the ability to instantly tap into device hardware (Microphone, Haptics) without writing custom Swift/Kotlin bridges.
• Pre-download Audio Strategy: Instead of attempting to stream raw HTTP audio chunks (which causes -1008 iOS player crashes on spotty hackathon Wi-Fi), the app uses expo-file-system to download the TTS payload to a temporary cache before playback, ensuring 100% stability during demos.
• AI-Assisted Development: The frontend architecture, state management, and complex Animated native driver loops were scaffolded and refined utilizing Gemini for structural problem-solving and Windsurf/GitHub Copilot for rapid inline component generation.

1. Clone the repository and run npm install
2. Configure .env.local with the required API keys (e.g., Azure Maps static tile key if applicable).
3. Run npx expo start or npm expo start --tunnel and scan the QR code using the Expo Go app.